Conference Agenda

L'accès aux archives est essentiel pour comprendre les injustices du passé et établir la vérité. Au Maroc, l'Instance Équité et Réconciliation (IER), créée en 2004, a joué un rôle clé dans la reconnaissance des abus des années de plomb (1960-1999) et a recommandé la création de la Fondation Archives du Maroc pour préserver cette mémoire et rendre les archives accessibles au public.

Dans le cadre de la justice transitionnelle l'accès aux archives est crucial pour comprendre les injustices su passé . Ces archives permettent aux victimes de retrouver des preuves des souffrances qu’elles ont vécues et aident à assurer la transparence pour que ces abus ne se reproduisent plus.

Au Maroc, l’Instance Équité et Réconciliation a joué un rôle important en mettant en lumière les violations des droits humains commises pendant les années de plomb . L’IER a recommandé la création des Archives du Maroc, une institution chargée de conserver le patrimoine archivistique national et de de préserver la mémoire collective.

Ces archives permettent :

Aux victimes et à leurs familles de retrouver des preuves de ce qu’elles ont vécu.

À la société et à la justice de défendre les droits humains.

De garantir la transparence pour éviter que ces abus ne se répètent.

Cependant, il y a encore des obstacles :

- Certaines archives restent inaccessibles en raison de la législation en vigueur et du respect des délais de confidentialité, qui limitent leur accès au grand public pendant une certaine période

- Il y a un manque de plateformes numériques et de numérisation des archives, ce qui empêche un accès facile à distance, notamment pour les personnes éloignées. Toutefois, cet accès doit être organisé dans le respect des conditions de confidentialité et de la loi 69.99, qui encadre les délais et les restrictions d’accès aux documents sensibles.

Malgré ces défis, ouvrir ces archives est essentiel pour garantir la vérité, réparer les injustices et avancer vers une réconciliation durable.

Land Registry Archives serve as sources of data, information, history, and memory of Brazilian territory. In light of the challenges posed by the digital age and prioritizing the integrity, accessibility, and authenticity of these archives in the long term, this research aims to develop, based on national and international standards, a guideline for creating a digital preservation policy applicable to these archives.

In the current context, with the growing adoption of digitization processes and the creation of born-digital archives, there arises a need to develop digital preservation policies that ensure authenticity, integrity, and accessibility—fundamental principles for transparency and efficient long-term retrieval of the produced documentation. This research highlights best practices and recommended guidelines for implementing digital preservation policies in the context of Land Registry Offices in Brazil, which serve as sources of evidentiary, historical, and institutional public information while facing the challenges imposed by the digital transformation. Among the various types of registries in Brazil, Land Registry Offices are the focus of this study. In this sense, like other institutions that produce public documents, it is necessary to adopt methods to preserve this documentary heritage. The production of born-digital and digitized documents in these institutions is relatively recent, a trend accelerated primarily after the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, there is an accumulation of digital/digitized documents that may not be preserved due to a lack of technical knowledge in the field, posing risks of irreversible loss of these archives. Developing a digital preservation policy is the first step toward safeguarding digital/digitized archives. The objective of this research is to present a guideline for drafting a digital preservation policy that can be applied to Land Registry Offices. Methodologically, this study is qualitative, applied, and exploratory, using bibliographic and documentary research as its technical procedures. The bibliographic research was conducted using databases in the field within the country, while the documentary research relied on publications from the National Council of Justice (CNJ), the National Council on Archives (CONARQ), and the National Archives (AN) of Brazil. As a result, the proposed guideline and its application to Land Registry Offices are presented. The guideline is organized into seven major areas: introduction and objectives; scope; assignment of responsibilities; principles; preservation strategies; policy updates; and references. Each section provides directives for application in Land Registry Offices. It is hoped that this guideline can serve as a starting point for the development of digital preservation policies essential to these archives.

In view of the broad and current interest in the topic, the presentation aims to stimulate an in-depth debate and an exchange of experiences, to be shared as a premise for future contacts and developments relating to the working procedures and professional training of archivists and all those who work in the sectors of management, processing and conservation of national and international political and parliamentary heritage.

L'affiche présentée essaie de donner un aperçu sur la manière dont est structurée la gestion de l'information documentaire au sein d'organisme de bassin transfrontalier (OMVS) qui regroupe quatre (4) pays : Guinée, Mali, Mauritanie et le Sénégal.

Ce réseau dont l'initiateur le géniteur et le gestionnaire est le Centre de Documentation de ladite institution, essaie d'insuffler une pratique et une culture archivistique tendant à préserver et partager le patrimoine de l'Organisation.

Dans l'affiche, les informations ci-après ont été signalées :

- une présentation de l'institution qu'est l'OMVS : pays membres, ses organes de gouvernance et en particulier le Centre de Documentation et des Archives (CDA);

- la justification du réseau qui vise principalement le développement d'une culture d'archivage dans l'institution ;

- le socle du réseau (CDA) et les réalisations qu'il a déjà fait ;

- les défis actuels et futurs du Réseau notamment son encrage institutionnel formel, son financement, la numérisation des fonds, etc.

- les avantages que l'institution peut en tirer à savoir : la maîtrise de la chaine documentaire, la limitation de la perte et/ou détérioration des documents, l'efficacité dans la gestion des dossiers par les producteurs, ou encore la facilitation de l'accès et la sauvegarde du patrimoine de l'institution.

This study analyzes structural patterns in EAD through large-scale data analysis. We collected EAD files from about 400 archival institutions across about 30 countries to investigate hierarchical patterns in context descriptions. We analyzed structural characteristics and revealed distinctive patterns in how archives structure their descriptions. This research demonstrates the potential of data analysis in archival science, contributing to archival description practices and standards.

Archival finding aids serve as essential tools for accessing and understanding archival materials. With the widespread adoption of Encoded Archival Description (EAD), these finding aids have become standardized and machine-readable, enabling sophisticated analysis of archival description practices. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of structural patterns in large-scale finding aids data.

Over the past decades, many archival institutions have employed EAD, resulting in a vast corpus of structured archival descriptions. However, little research has been conducted on how different institutions structure their descriptions within the EAD framework. The analysis of these structural patterns reveals how archives implement descriptive standards in practice and provides insights for future developments in archival description standards.

Our research addresses this gap using a large dataset comprising over 100,000 finding aids from approximately 400 archival institutions across 30 countries. The application of computational methods to this dataset represents a novel approach in archival science. Through structural pattern analysis and hierarchical clustering, we identify common patterns and variations in how archives organize their descriptive information.

This research contributes to archival science by applying machine learning techniques to analyze complex hierarchical structures in archival descriptions. Our analysis reveals significant variations in descriptive practices across institutions, including differences in structural patterns, hierarchical depths, and contextual arrangements of archival information. Through this computational approach to analyzing large-scale finding aids data, we provide empirical evidence of how archival institutions structure their descriptive information in practice, offering new insights into the diverse ways archivists implement hierarchical description.

The interactive Poster introduces the two largest Buddhist temples in the world as examples of Living Archives. The carved stone reliefs on the walls of Borobudur in Indonesiaembody Buddhist cosmology. The Virtual Angkor project used VR to recreate Angkor Wat in 1300 CE. QR codes in the Poster enable participants in the poster session to experience ten as living digital archives.

The remains of the temple complex of Angkor Wat, one of the two largest Buddhist temples in the world, are registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Virtual Angkor project aimed to archive a City, the sprawling Cambodian metropolis of Angkor at the height of the Khmer empire’s power and influence around 1300 C.E. A groundbreaking collaboration between archaeologists, historians and virtual history specialists based in Australia, Cambodia and the United States used 3D modelling, visualisation and virtual reality technologies to recreate the architecture; temples bridges, canals, roads buildings and houses; artefacts and objects, people, vehicles and carriages, the surrounding rice fields, and flora and fauna. Use of these technologies also enabled digital repatriation. Stolen statues and objects from Angkor Wat were scanned from collections of Khmer bronze statues and other relics in museums and galleries around the world, then merged into the Virtual Angkor.

These days, an archivist must be well-versed in information technology. What, though, ought an archivist to know? The answer to this question is crucial for those who organize archival science courses now and will continue to be a question in the future.

I'll my poster I will outline some potential approaches to the information technology-focused portion of an archivist's training.

These days, an archivist must be well-versed in information technology. What, though, ought an archivist to know? The answer to this question is crucial for those who organize archival science courses now and will continue to be a question we must address on multiple occasions in the future.

In my poster, I'll outline some potential approaches to the information technology-focused portion of an archivist's training. From a beginning computing course that might not be appropriate for a university education in other respects to an extreme notion I created dubbed "Timeless fullstack," which is difficult to teach within the confines of a university education.

The poster is a part of a continuous research project, a presentation of forthcoming studies, and will present and discuss a number of concepts that could be used in defining what the student in archival science actually needs to know about IT.

The poster will show and explore some notions that might be used to define what an archival science student actually needs to know about IT. It is part of an ongoing research effort and a presentation of upcoming investigations.

The records management and archives profession is facing challenges due to new technologies, changing user needs, and evolving practices. A study by The International Council of Archives found that new professionals face challenges such as a lack of awareness about professional associations and barriers to accessing them. This project aims to provide recommendations for associations to support, develop, and provide networking opportunities in Peru and South Africa.

The records management and archives profession is at a crossroads, with new technologies, changing user needs, and evolving professional practices. As the profession navigates these changes, it is essential to ensure new professionals have the support and resources needed to succeed. A recent study by New Professionals (2022) of The International Council of Archives (ICA) revealed that lack of awareness about the benefits of professional associations and barriers to accessing them are among the main obstacles faced by new professionals in Peru and South Africa.

To address this challenge, this project aims to provide practical recommendations for professional associations to support and develop new professionals, and promote a positive and collaborative environment within the profession. These associations play a vital role in shaping and developing new professionals. Also, provides opportunities for networking, professional development, and access to resources and expertise. By creating a welcoming and inclusive environment, professional associations can help new professionals overcome the challenges they face and provide them with the support and resources they need to succeed in their careers. Furthermore, they can provide a platform for new professionals to share their ideas, experiences, and perspectives, and to learn from others in the field.

This project explores how professional associations in Peru and South Africa can support new professionals and provide recommendations for creating a more inclusive and supportive environment. By working together, we can ensure that new professionals have the support and resources they need to succeed and that the profession as a whole continues to thrive and evolve.

While the preservation and protection of war-crime documentation are vital for investigations, reconciliation, and collective memory, technical aspects of the IT infrastructure for managing these archives have not been sufficiently communicated to the experts in the field. To ensure do-no-harm and maximize the effectiveness of the archives, we attempt to provide a comprehensive study of existing archives and proposing a universal guidelines for their operation.

[Proliferation of war crimes archives]

A significant number of online archives related to war crimes have been made easily accessible on the public internet. Among the most notable are recent collections that document various war-crime atrocities through images, videos, and testimonials, often gathered by civilians within conflict zones. Other archives offer searchable databases of court documents, maps of mass graves, and tools for navigating international law. Many legal experts and activists view these resources as crucial for open-source investigations and efforts to pursue justice for war crimes in modern conflicts. ​

[Do-no-harm and effectiveness]

​While the preservation and protection of war-crime documentation are widely recognized as vital for investigations, reconciliation, and collective memory, key technical aspects of the IT infrastructure used by individuals or organizations managing these archives have not been sufficiently communicated to legal scholars. Only a few archive creators have detailed their processes and technologies, and there has been little analysis of the impact of database design. To ensure do-no-harm to the information providers, visctims/survivors and the suspect/accused and maximize the effectiveness of the archives, we attempt to provide a comprehensive study of existing archives and proposing a universal guidelines for their operation.

[Learning from the past]

Learning from the past is crucial, especially in the context of war crimes archiving. The experiences of documenting war crimes from the Second World War offer vital lessons in preventing memory loss, contamination of evidence, and the dangers of historical revisionism. As we enter an era where the firsthand witnesses of the war have passed away, the archives become an essential source of knowledge. The lessons learned from World War II provide a blueprint for preserving the integrity of current war archives and are fundamental to educating new generations about the realities of war. These insights are key to fostering peace education and contributing to peace studies globally.

The aim of the report is to present the Bulgarian specialized archives for audiovisual heritage. The emphasis is on specific institutions, entitled to be archives under the current archive law - Bulgarian National Radio, National Television and National Film Archive. The focus is on how they are presented in a digital environment and what are the opportunities for access to their digital resources and their implementation in the education of students, in Archival Science and Cultural Heritage.

Specialized archives for audiovisual heritage in Bulgaria are defined as such according to the current archival legislation – the Law on the National Archival Fund. Such institutions are the Bulgarian National Radio, the Bulgarian National Television, and the Bulgarian National Film Archive. They create documents on various technical media and thus make them valuable for generations, because they reflect our national memory in sound, image and video. Emphasis is placed on the Archive of the Bulgarian National Radio – “Golden Fund” for phonodocuments, the Archive of the Bulgarian National Television – for cinema and television films, video films and sound recordings and the Bulgarian National Film Archive – for Bulgarian feature, documentary, chronicle, popular science and animation films and the documentation on their production, for the promotion of cinematography and cinematographic culture in our country. The exhibition will present a brief overview of each of the institutions in view of its structure, activity and functions that it performs. In this way, it will be possible to get an idea of their role and importance as part of our national archival system. In today's information reality, access to archival heritage via the Internet, respectively to the audiovisual one, is on the agenda. Therefore, their digital resources will be presented, as well as the possibilities for accessing them through various Internet platforms. This review will also outline the opportunities that these resources give us to be applied in the educational process. Thus, in addition to the theoretical preparation of the students, they will also be able to practically touch the great wealth that our country has collected as audiovisual heritage. The examples presented will be from the practice of training students in the specialties of Archival Science and Cultural Heritage from the University of Library Studies and Information Technologies, in the city of Sofia, Bulgaria.

This poster presentation will outline my current research, which addresses the role of federal record keeping in U.S. empire in the early 20th century. I look at records removal from across the United States’ colonial empire –including the Philippines, Puerto Rico, the Panama Canal Zone, and the U.S. Virgin Islands– to demonstrate the role of archival dispossession and centralization in early 20th century projects of nation building and territorial expansion.

This poster presentation will outline my current research, which addresses the accessioning history of the U.S. National Archives and the relationship between record keeping and early 20th century U.S. territorial acquisition. I look to this history of records removal from across the United States’ colonial empire –including the Philippines, Puerto Rico, the Panama Canal Zone, and the U.S. Virgin Islands–to demonstrate the role of archival dispossession and centralization in early 20th century projects of nation building and imperial expansion. Additionally, I discuss the impacts that the removal of records had, and continues to have, on residents of U.S. territories. Drawing from my background as a working archivist, this project places American archival practice at the center of the story of U.S. territorial annexation and aims to contend with the complicated history of the National Archives as a site simultaneously engaged in the production, preservation, and extraction of knowledge.

This project also seeks to engage with the emotional, historiographical, legal, and material impacts that archival dispossession has had on U.S. territorial communities over the past century. The role of such phenomena as taxonomy, access, preservation, and records repatriation in issues of community identity, collective memory, and the writing of history is of central interest to this project. The U.S. National Archives is a deeply understudied institution, and my research aims to confront the provenance of its records in order to paint a fuller picture of the relationship between record keeping and territorial expansion. This poster will hopefully open discussion between attendees about the entanglement of archival practice with projects of nation building, imperialism, memory formation, and identity construction.

Un dels programes de suport de l’Oficina de Patrimoni Cultural (OPC) a la Xarxa d’Arxius Municipals (XAM) de la Diputació de Barcelona és la conservació i la restauració. L’OPC compta amb un Laboratori de Conservació-Restauració amb l’especialitat de paper i pergamí que ha permès introduir la conservació preventiva com a política imprescindible per endegar la correcte conservació dels equipaments d’arxius i els documents que custodien.

Des de l’inici de la posada en marxa de la Xarxa d’Arxius Municipals (XAM), des de Oficina de Patrimoni Cultural (OPC) s’ha materialitzat un programa de suport a la conservació i restauració tant per al Programa de Manteniment (amb l’equip d’arxivers itinerants) com per a la Central de Serveis Tècnics (amb responsable tècnic propi).

L’existència a la mateixa OPC del Laboratori de Conservació-Restauració amb l’especialitat de paper i pergamí ha permès aplicar una metodologia que es basa en el treball en xarxa, el treball en equip interdisciplinari, la proximitat i la immediatesa en el seguiment tècnic i les actuacions pertinents i, la dotació d’una planificació estratègica imprescindible de conservació preventiva dels equipaments d’arxius i els documents que custodien.

Considerem que el Congrés és una bona oportunitat per donar a conèixer aquest projecte de cooperació i de col·laboració entre la Diputació de Barcelona i els arxius municipals.

Archival documentary heritage preserves cultural memory but faces challenges in innovation and dissemination. Recognized in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme, the Suzhou Silk Archives document silk craftsmanship and artisan legacy. This study employs Multimodal Large Language Models (MLLM) to revitalize archival memory, using data processing, narrative crafting, and immersive storytelling to transform static records into dynamic narratives and advance digital preservation.

Archival documentary heritage, as a vital medium for preserving the cultural memory of specific nations, regions, and eras, serves as an essential resource for recording and transmitting human civilization. It plays a pivotal role in constructing collective identity and historical continuity. However, the protection and dissemination of archival documentary heritage face significant challenges, including insufficient resource excavation, limited dissemination approaches, and a lack of innovation. UNESCO's “Memory of the World Programme” and its associated Memory of the World Register have provided an essential framework for the global preservation and promotion of archival heritage. Among the listed entries, the Modern Chinese Suzhou Silk Archives, recognized in 2017, stand out for their exceptional historical value and cultural significance. These archives encompass silk patterns, design drafts, and production records, offering a comprehensive account of the development of Chinese silk craftsmanship and the legacy of artisan spirit, showcasing the richness of Chinese silk culture and its international impact.

With the rapid advancement of digital technologies, particularly Multimodal Large Language Model (MLLM), new opportunities have emerged for the dissemination of archival heritage. MLLM, with their advanced capabilities in understanding and generating data across text, images, and other modalities, offer robust technological support for data processing, narrative development, and innovative storytelling in archival contexts.

In terms of data processing, the Suzhou Silk Archives—primarily composed of image and text-based scanned documents—pose challenges due to their complexity and low level of digitization. Traditional methods struggle to extract meaningful information effectively. MLLM address this by constructing pre-trained datasets aligned with cross-modal semantic associations, linking silk patterns in images to textual content. This enables the development of a digital silk cultural knowledge graph, laying the foundation for deeper archival exploration.

In the interactive storytelling phase, MLLM utilize role prompting and chain-of-thought prompting to refine narrative logic and contextual construction. Role prompting aligns narrative creation with the needs of specific audiences, catering to experts requiring detailed, professional narratives and the general public seeking concise, engaging stories. Chain-of-thought prompting structures narrative scripts through incremental steps, encompassing six stages: defining objectives, designing plot structures, refining scenes, polishing logic, and final presentation. This step-by-step process enhances narrative coherence, credibility, and emotional resonance.

Regarding story products, MLLM embed cultural logic and narrative threads from the Suzhou Silk Archives into interactive and immersive digital storytelling products. These stories foster embodied narrative environments, enabling users to move beyond static textual content and immerse themselves in the temporal and spatial contexts of the narrative. This approach enhances cultural impact and strengthens users’ cognitive connections with archival content.

Through empirical analysis, this study validates the use of MLLM in interactive digital storytelling for the Suzhou Silk Archives. By integrating data processing, structured organization, template-based expression, and immersive experiences, it demonstrates how human-AI collaboration revitalizes archival memory. This approach provides innovative technological support for the digital preservation and dissemination of documentary heritage, offering significant contributions to the evolution of UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme.

This article, from the perspective of digital narratives, combines through the communication practices of the silk archives in the China National Silk Archives based on literature research and case analysis, which analyzes the communication value, mechanism, and path choices of these archives in three aspects, aiming to provide new paths for the innovation of archival culture in the digital environment, serving humanities research, and inheriting and developing the memory of human civilization.

Digital narratives are understood as the practice or method of creating, expressing, interpreting, and sharing stories, personal experiences, etc., by using digital tools and multimedia forms. The digital humanities wave provides new opportunities for the preservation, dissemination, and utilization of collection resources in cultural heritage institutions. The "Archives of Suzhou Silk from Modern and Contemporary Times" were inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in 2017. The China National Silk Archives, as China's first national-level professional archival institution and the custodian of silk archives, actively explores a path for the dissemination and development of silk archive culture that aligns with the essence of the digital humanities spirit, against the backdrop of the archives' digital transformation, the cooperation of public services, and the diversification of user needs.

Based on new technologies, the China National Silk Archives employs the interactive, transmedia, and multimedia narrative methods unique to digitalization, incorporating narrative techniques such as VR, AR, and AI, to promote the dissemination of silk archive culture in three major areas: communication, exhibition, and education. (1) In the permanent exhibition, devices such as the "Magic Dressing Mirror with Archives" and "Dialogue with Suzhou Embroiderer Projection Interactive Screen" are set up to increase the public interest. An intelligent guide system with augmented reality technology is also established, which can be triggered through a mini-program, allowing visitors to listen to explanations online anytime and anywhere. (2) In collaboration with cultural heritage and intangible cultural heritage organizations, and in combination with local culture, exhibitions such as "A Dream of Suzhou Silk Archives" and "Blossom from Suzhou to the World: Silk Printing and International Fashion" are held, utilizing VR technology to create digital exhibition halls. (3) By combining AI technology with collections, creative works such as the animation "The Life of a Silkworm," MBTI x Patterns and the Silk Road Interactive Experience mini program are produced in cooperation with university students. These explorations achieve a collision between the ancient and the modern by digital narratives, striving to display the qualities of openness and inclusiveness contained in the archives, and continuously gathering the driving force for cultural empowerment.

The Charter of Lifelong Recordkeeping Rights for the Child in Care addresses the comprehensive and lifelong recordkeeping needs of children and young people in Care and their future selves. Current work on the Charter expands the scope to include Indigenous individuals. The Charter highlights the importance of creating and maintaining accurate and accessible records to support a personal identity, cultural heritage and well-being of children in Care.

Developed in conjunction with Care experienced people, the Charter of Lifelong Recordkeeping Rights for the Child in Care addresses the comprehensive and lifelong recordkeeping needs of children and young people in Care and their future selves. Current work on the Charter expands the scope to include Indigenous individuals. The Charter highlights the importance of creating and maintaining accurate and accessible records to support a personal identity, cultural heritage and well-being of children in Care.

The Charter is action oriented and future focussed, integrating quality recordkeeping into current practice mitigating findings of multiple (international) inquiries into the Care sector. Based firmly in human rights, the Charter is aimed at organisations in the Care eco-system and children’s rights to co-create, know and engage with recordkeeping outcomes documenting their lives. The Charter extends existing rights to include: Participation, Identity/ Cultural, Memory, and Accountability needs, focusing on continuous improvement and organisational commitment. The Charter applies throughout the duration of a child's life, supporting child safety principles and meeting the lifelong information needs of Care Leavers and the Stolen Generations. By ensuring records are created and maintained with integrity and accessibility, the Charter aims to drive meaningful change and uphold the rights of children, young people in Care and Care Leavers.