Conference Agenda

This session will explore the partnership between the Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC) and the International Council on Archives (ICA) to address the challenges of advocating for digital preservation. It will highlight ICA’s collaboration efforts, along with insights from DPC’s initiatives, while engaging participants to better understand the priorities for advancing digital preservation and addressing critical issues in the field.

The partnership between DPC and the ICA is founded on a shared commitment to strengthening the capacities of our members in addressing the challenges of digital preservation within their professional networks. Through various training initiatives and advocacy efforts, we have provided our members with resources to champion digital preservation.

Addressing the complexities of digital preservation requires not only targeted efforts within individual organizations but also a unified approach that bridges professional networks, sectors, and geographic boundaries. By fostering partnerships, we can better identify and respond to the challenges faced by practitioners, while amplifying their voices and equipping them with the tools and knowledge necessary to advocate for digital preservation in their unique environments. This collaborative approach ensures that the field evolves in alignment with the dynamic and multifaceted nature of digital preservation challenges, paving the way for innovative solutions and sustained impact.

This session is intended to assess what has been accomplished through the partnership between DPC and ICA and to open a discussion about what we should start considering for the future, based on the new realities and experiences that the archival and records management profession is facing. To achieve this, the session will be divided into two parts. The first part will provide an overview of ICA's efforts to represent and advocate for the needs and dialogues necessary to advance the field of digital preservation. It will focus on ensuring the ongoing accessibility of digital materials and fostering international collaboration. The second part, led by DPC, will identify and explore some key digital preservation themes and challenges experienced by its own members, as well as the practical resources which have been designed to meet these needs. The session will then showcase a selection of these freely available resources and demonstrate how they can be used to support advocacy efforts within organizations, as well as enabling practitioners to develop practical strategies for making progress with their digital preservation work.

At the end of the session, we aim to engage with the audience with pop-up quizzes to gather insights on how these two institutions can better support professionals in becoming advocates for digital preservation within their communities, helping to address the pressing issues impacting preservation initiatives globally.

Red CCAPFA aspira a ser un referente regional en la preservación y difusión del patrimonio fílmico y audiovisual de Centroamérica y el Caribe. Visualizamos una región donde los archivos audiovisuales se valoren como pilares fundamentales de la identidad cultural y la memoria histórica. Trabajamos hacia un futuro donde la colaboración entre países y organizaciones sea sólida y continua, permitiendo la protección y acceso equitativo a los archivos para el disfrute y enriquecimiento de la sociedad.

La Red Centroamérica y del Caribe del Patrimonio Fílmico y Audiovisual – Red CCAPFA tiene como objetivo reunir y preservar los archivos fílmicos y audiovisuales de Panamá, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, República Dominicana y Cuba. Todos los miembros de la Red cuentan con muchos años de experiencia en la gestión de archivos audiovisuales. Nos comprometemos a promover una efectiva colaboración entre nuestros países y las organizaciones miembro para proteger el valioso patrimonio audiovisual de la región. Nuestra misión es concientizar a la ciudadanía sobre la importancia de la memoria histórica audiovisual y desarrollar planes de colaboración entre nuestros miembros. Además, nos esforzamos por estandarizar procedimientos adecuados de conservación y procesamiento de los archivos.

La catalogación de materiales audiovisuales bajo estándares internacionales de normalización es nuestro reto más inmediato. En el caso de materiales originales de archivo en bruto (raw), rushes, descartes, etc. se han mantenido inaccesibles por la falta de creación de entradas. Esta circunstancia resulta especialmente grave en el caso de materiales analógicos (umatic, betacam) de la década de los 80, donde los conflictos políticos de la región durante la guerra fría recibieron especial atención mediática con la llegada de corresponsales extranjeros que enviaban notas informativas a las agencias noticiosas internacionales.

Mediante el intercambio de registros de sus miembros, Red CCAPFA elabora un catálogo colectivo que permite a los investigadores y público en general tener acceso por primera vez a esta información. La mayoría de los archivos centroamericanos contienen colecciones en estos formatos analógicos con miles de cassettes que se quedaron conteniendo las grabaciones sin editar y que se perderán irremediablemente si no se intervienen a mediano plazo. El primer obstáculo es precisamente no haber contado hasta ahora con registros de descripción de contenidos con los que las instituciones puedan diseñar una política de digitalización bajo una tabla de ponderación de criterios como la relevancia o la pertinencia. Las propias menciones de responsabilidad de las obras eran confusas. Superarlo permite cuantificar los volúmenes de las colecciones, extraer indicadores por formato, contenido, etc, así como elaborar un Tesauro de autoridades confiable.

Las guías de buenas prácticas, así como las normas específicas que se utilizan en el proyecto son RDA, ISBD, el Manual de Catalogación de Imágenes en Movimiento de la FIAF y Formato MARC-21(Bibliográfico).

9 de los 18 miembros participantes cuentan con asignación presupuestaria propia de carácter público, asegurándose de esta manera la continuidad del proyecto. Pero las instituciones/ organizaciones que no disponen de un catalogador asignado dependen del establecimiento de alianzas para poder afrontar esta tarea. Por ejemplo, recientemente, Red CCAPFA ejecutó el Proyecto bianual Fondo de Solidaridad para Proyectos Innovadores FSPI 2022-2023 contando con la colaboración de especialistas del Instituto Nacional del Audiovisual INA-Francia.

En la última Asamblea General de la red la Junta Directiva se marcó como objetivo 2025-2026 la búsqueda de incentivos económicos para que estas colecciones pequeñas, de menos de 1,000 items, puedan contar durante al menos un año con un catalogador asignado que elabore los registros catalográficos.

The Universal Declaration on Archives, endorsed by ICA and UNESCO, highlights the critical role of archives in creating individual and community memory. Despite being available in 47 languages, only two are African. Recognizing the importance of local languages for identity and inclusivity, we will explore strategies to expand UDA translations into African languages. We will discuss challenges encountered in translation and offer guidance to African translators to advance this initiative.

The Universal Declaration on Archives (UDA) was endorsed in 2010 by the International Council on Archives (ICA) and in 2011 by UNESCO. It serves as a reminder that archives are essential instruments of society. It also emphasizes the essential role played by archives and archivists in safeguarding and contributing to individual and community memory. Translating UDA into local languages is crucial for making its principles accessible to marginalized communities. Translations foster inclusivity, preserve many identities, and promote engagement with archival practices. The Universal Declaration on Archives is a declaration for all people worldwide, and preserving and protecting the cultural importance of community archives require direct communication and tools that empower these communities to advocate for their heritage. Enabling the use of the UDA in local languages is key to enhancing understanding of archives, their purpose, and their value.

Language is fundamental to human identity and effective communication, transcending political borders. However, history has shown instances where languages were suppressed or discriminated against to assert power, shape national identity, or assimilate groups into a dominant culture through requirements to speak a national language. Most countries with a history of conquest, or colonialism, have experienced similar issues. Above all, it is important to communicate in traditional languages which minoritized people accept, understand and feel comfortable using.

The UDA is available in 47 languages, but only in two African languages, Kinyarwanda and Swahili, in a continent using more than 1,000 languages. The ICA Advocacy Expert Group wishes to address this serious gap in managing African memories and identities in the context of a globalized and interconnected world. Of particular importance in our Co-lab will be addressing the challenges encountered in translation efforts, such as linguistic complexities and cultural differences in archival terminology. African participants will have an excellent opportunity to incorporate their perspectives into the discussion and share the most pressing and thought-provoking issues. We will offer strategies and guidance to overcome these issues.