Memory of the World (MOW) Training Workshop

Memory of the World Training Workshop engages Latin America and Caribbean countries to better the nomination process for the International Registry.

The UNESCO Memory of the World Training Workshop for Latin America and the Caribbean was held from August 24 – 27, 2015 in Kingston. The workshop was organized by the Korean National Commission for UNESCO and the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea in cooperation with the UNESCO Kingston Office and the Jamaica National Commission for UNESCO.  The primary purpose of the workshop is to develop an increase in the identification and preservation of documentary heritage with global significance in Latin America and the Caribbean. Participants came from the British Virgin Islands, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Maarten, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The workshop was opened by the Hon. Lisa Hanna, Minister of Youth and Culture who spoke to the significance of the Memory of the World programme. “As policy makers we need to anchor these things that make our country move and preserve our history. More training needs to be involved in protecting our intangible heritage in order to protect the information and create posterity,” she stated.

The completion of nomination forms was one of the main challenges identified by member states. The workshop provided assistance in that regard as it provided an opportunity for the participants to receive direct technical assistance from Memory of the World International experts. Such assistance improved the participants’ knowledge of the methodology for preparing an application for nomination to the International Register and assisted LAC countries in identifying documentary heritage with global significance which will fundamentally enhance nominations for the Memory of the World International Register.

Elizabeth Watson, English-speaking advisor to MOWLAC said, “The Memory of the World Training workshop helps people to craft their nominations in such a way that they are successful when they are submitted”.

Additionally, Dr. Roslyn Russell, member of the Memory of the World (MOW) Register Sub-Committee said, “The documents being nominated must possess significance”. A participant of the workshop Chris Valrack from the British Virgin Islands (BVI) said, “The interaction and synergy between the countries are good as the countries share similar histories and the nominations inter-relate. The workshop is indeed beneficial for future successful registered heritage”.

On Thursday, August 27, experts from the Memory of the World (MOW) Committee along with participants in the workshop visited the National Library of Jamaica to examine the Estate Map collection (a nomination of the library for the Memory of the World register).

Participants of the Memory of the World training workshop with The Hon. Lisa Hanna and Dr Min, Secretary General for the Korean National Commission for UNESCO (right). On her left is Isabel Viera of the UNESCO Caribbean Office and Everton Hannam, Secretary General,  Jamaican National Commission for UNESCO.