Audiovisual Heritage on World Day for Audiovisual Heritage

October 27, 2020

The World Day for Heritage is celebrated on 27 October every year.

UNESCO chose this commemorative day in 2005 to raise awareness of the significance and preservation risks of recorded sound and audiovisual documents. National and regional sound and film archives, museums, broadcasters, libraries, and audiovisual associations like the Association of Moving Image Archivists, International Council on Archives, International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives and International Federation of Film Archives and the International Federation of Television Archives organize many events in different countries.

The World Day for Heritage takes place every 27 October. This commemorative day was chosen by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 2005 to raise awareness of the significance and preservation risks of recorded sound and audiovisual documents (films, sound and video recordings, radio and television programmes).^[1][2] Events are held in many countries, organised by national and regional sound and film archives, broadcasters, museums and libraries, and major audiovisual associations including the Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA),^[3] International Council on Archives (ICA),^[4] International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives (IASA),^[5] and the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF)).^[6]

The main objectives of designating the date of 27 October were listed by UNESCO:

raising public awareness of the need for preservation;
providing opportunities to celebrate specific local, national or international aspects of the heritage;
highlighting the accessibility of archives;
attracting media attention to heritage issues;
raising the cultural status of audiovisual heritage;
highlighting audiovisual heritage in danger, especially in developing countries.

The World Day for Heritage is celebrated on 27 October every year. UNESCO chose this commemorative day in 2005 to raise awareness of the significance and preservation risks of recorded sound and audiovisual documents.