International Experts in Electronic Archiving and Sustainability Visited the National Archives and Hailed Its Technical Evolution
On the sidelines of the meetings held under the umbrella of UNESCO in Abu Dhabi
International Experts in Electronic Archiving and Sustainability Visited the National Archives and Hailed Its Technical Evolution.
On the sidelines of the MOW’s International Electronic Archiving Committee meetings held in Abu Dhabi under the chairmanship of H.E. Dr. Abdulla El Reyes, the Director General of the National Archives and the Head of the UNESCO Memory of the World Program, world Electronic Archiving experts who are meeting under the umbrella of the UNESCO paid a visit to the National Archives of the UAE.
Global experts in digital archiving hailed the National Archives’ evolution and the distinct position it now occupies due to adopting a modern technological base in implementing its tasks. They expressed their admiration for the digital preservation techniques, the electronic archiving of historical documents and the care paid by the NA administration to save historical documents on paper and electronically according to the highest international standards in archiving and preservation. They also appreciated the leading national role of the National Archives and its technical evolution that contributes to collecting and saving the memory of the Nation in a sophisticated manner for posterity.
The digital archiving experts visited the National Archives headquarters after attending their final meetings, which included workshops that discussed a three-pronged integrated system targeting permanent preservation of information and the development of each independently. The competent committees met in order to put integrated recommendations and in conclusion they emphasized the importance of identifying specialized teams for technology, policies and digital content, in addition to creating a special space for the platform of heritage digital programs and implementing directives and requirements for the selection of digital content related to conservation and accessibility of documentary heritage. They also stressed the significance of activating community outreach and determining the financial resources for information sustainability program and for the meeting of the global Summit of the "Memory of the world" which is chaired by the UAE in next January.
H.E. Dr. Abdullah El Reyes, Director General, received the guests at the NA’s headquarters, briefed them on the NA’s role in preserving the UAE history as well as its efforts, and advanced work mechanisms as a national archive that collects and saves the homeland memory.
His Excellency Dr. El Reyes took the NA’s guests on a tour of the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Hall where they reviewed its contents of old maps, rare books, historical documents and photographs that monitor the stages of establishing the Union.
The visitors watched a three-dimensional high-tech film about the history of the UAE and its present and its future in Mohammed bin Zayed Hall of Virtual Reality. Later, they visited the Presidential Archive Section that contains photographs and videos documenting the life march of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and the local, regional, Arab and international activities of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. They also saw historical photos of the UAE leading personalities that constitute a precious heritage, which must be preserved and handed on to future generations and must be made available to researchers and scholars.
