2026/27 Nomination Cycle for Memory of the World International Register Now Open

The International Register

The Memory of the World International Register is composed of documentary heritage that meets the criteria set out in the General Guidelines, among which world significance is the primary criterion. Documentary heritage can include materials from a variety of fields and forms, including visual, audio, paper and digital, among others.

The nominated items of documentary heritage must also be finite and precisely defined; broad, general or open-ended nominations will not be accepted. The Register does not include all the records in public and private archives, no matter how important those bodies or individuals may be. Repositories should nominate for inclusion on the Register only those documents that fulfil the defined criteria, including that of world significance. Once added to the Memory of the World Register, the document group cannot be changed or redefined over time.

In the case of documentary heritage which exists in several locations, or several owners or custodians, full details of each component, owner or custodian are to be provided.

Nomination Process

Any person or organisation, with the prior written consent of the owners or custodians, may submit a nomination through the UK National Commission for UNESCO.

Before submitted an application, please read the information and guidance on the "Receive an inscription onto the UNESCO Memory of the World Register" page of this website, and the associated documents in the Resource Centre.

Once this has been done, nominations must be sent in the first instance to the UK National Commission for UNESCO (UKNC) by 30 September 2025. This will allow enough time for the UKNC and the UK Memory of the World Committee to make an inititial assessement of the nomination before submitting it to UNESCO.

Submit a MOTW International Register Nomination

Why nominate an item or collection for the Memory of the World International Register?

• Strategic opportunities arising from the right to use the UNESCO Memory of the World logo.
• Prestige conferred on organisations and collections as a result of UNESCO’s recognition.
• Opportunities for increased public awareness.
• Strengthening arguments for sponsorship, grants, and funding for preservation.
• Being part of the global effort to enhance awareness and support for the preservation of documentary heritage.

Further information on the UNESCO Memory of the World Accreditation Process

Details of the UNESCO Memory of the World Register inscriptions from the UK