Receive an inscription onto the UNESCO Memory of the World Register

The Accreditation Process

• Introduction

  Established in 1992, the UNESCO Memory of the World (MoW) Programme is a global initiative to safeguard the world’s documentary heritage against collective amnesia, the ravages of war, decay and deterioration.

  Documentary heritage is defined by the MoW Programme as any item(s) which are moveable, consist of signs or codes, sounds and/or images, can be conserved (the supports are inert elements), can be reproduced and replicated on different media or formats, and are the result of a deliberate documentation process.

  UNESCO runs National, Regional and International Memory of the World Registers to highlight humanity’s most important documentary heritage. The International Register alone contains almost 500 items ranging from manuscripts to printed documents, maps to banners, audiovisual formats and digital data.

• Take the first steps

  Download and read the Handbook for Nominations to the UNESCO UK Memory of the World Register and other documentation available in our Resource Centre or via the links below.

  Make contact with the UK National Commission for UNESCO. We will provide further information and answer any initial queries you have, then pass your details onto the UNESCO UK Memory of the World Committee.

• Considerations

  Please note that the full application process to have an item inscribed onto UNESCO Memory of the World Registers can take some time, and not all applications are successful. There is also a limit on the number of applications the UK considers and submits to UNESCO each year.

  Any organisation or individual in the UK wishing to apply to have an item inscribed onto the Memory of the World Registers must submit their official application through the UK Memory of the World Committee, but initial contact should be made through the UK National Commission. In this respect, we recommend you contact us as soon as possible.