Documentary Heritage in the Arab Region: A Regional Survey; Understanding Needs, Challenges and Opportunities

This survey discusses conservation status of different types of documentary heritage, associated risk factors and challenges faced by memory institutions in the Arab region. The survey was implemented in collaboration with the Qatar National Library (QNL), and can be accessed through the website of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Digital Library.

The survey participation rate stands at 34%, including 525 memory institutions across 18 countries of the Arab region. The survey data is analyzed to recommend actions to be undertaken at local, regional and national level to support conservators and memory institutions across the Arab region. This includes creating national library consortia and regional Memory of the World (MoW) Committee, alongside strengthening international efforts to curb illicit trafficking of heritage documents. The survey is part of the larger vision of the MoW program established by UNESCO in 1992.

UNESCO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes peace by building collaborations among nations in the areas of education, culture and science. The MoW program aims to preserve and promote documentary heritage by making it accessible to all. The program maintains the ever growing 'MoW International Register' of collections and records that are significant from the perspective of history, form, style and social value. 

 Some of the contents of the report are:

• Survey methodology
• Regional findings
• International legislation