UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register is a catalogue of the world’s most prized documentary and archival heritage which aims to encourage access and raise awareness of the pivotal role played by written history in shaping today’s world, as well as preserving it for posterity. The search is now on to identify documents of national British significance for inclusion in the 2016 UK Register.
At the heart of the programme are the International Memory of the World Register, which recognises documents of global significance such as Magna Carta, and country-specific Registers which recognise nationally significant documentary heritage.
The UK Register includes documents such as the Death Warrant of King Charles I, the Domesday Book, the 1689 Bill of Rights and documents relating to the Women's Suffrage Movement in Britain.
Previously successful nominations to the Register have been able to use the award to reinforce funding bids and to raise awareness.
The key criterion for inclusion in the Register is that the item or collection is of outstanding national significance. Any organisation or individual can make a submission for any form of documentary heritage for which they are responsible.
Applications to be inscribed in the Register will be reviewed by the UK Memory of the World Committee, a voluntary team of UK-based librarians and archivists. The deadline for nominations is 29 January 2016.
More information and an application form can be found here: http://www.unesco.org.uk/engage/apply-to-the-memory-of-the-world-register-uk-international/