The Executive Board of UNESCO unanimously approved Uzbekistan’s initiative

At the headquarters of UNESCO in Paris, during the 224th session of the Executive Board, the draft decision proposed by Uzbekistan on proclaiming November 19 as the International Day of Documentary Heritage was unanimously approved, according to the “Dunyo” News Agency.

The initiative to proclaim the International Day of Documentary Heritage was put forward on October 30, 2025, by the President of Uzbekistan during the opening ceremony of the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand.

Documentary heritage, including manuscripts, archives, library collections, audiovisual materials, and digital records, constitutes an essential part of humanity’s collective memory. However, it remains vulnerable due to limited resources, insufficient digitization capacities, technological obsolescence, as well as climate-related and other risks.

In this context, the initiative aims to raise global awareness of the importance of documentary heritage, mobilize efforts by Member States and partners for its preservation, expand access to it, including in digital form, as well as strengthen international cooperation and enhance the visibility of UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme.

This initiative is also fully aligned with UNESCO’s current priorities in such areas as the preservation of documentary heritage, access to information, digital transformation, and sustainable development.

In this regard, Uzbekistan’s initiative received unanimous support from all UNESCO Member States. In particular, 65 UNESCO Member States co-sponsored the Executive Board decision proposed by Uzbekistan, including Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Palau, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, and Zimbabwe.

During the session, representatives of a number of states also expressed their strong support for Uzbekistan’s initiative, highlighting its timeliness, practical significance, and consistency with UNESCO’s priorities in the field of documentary heritage preservation.

In their statements, delegates emphasized that the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan to establish an International Day is fully in line with UNESCO’s priorities in education, culture, access to knowledge, and the preservation of humanity’s memory. They also noted that it would contribute to strengthening the Memory of the World Programme, expanding international attention to documentary heritage, and promoting practical measures for its protection.

Special attention was also drawn to the fact that documentary heritage carries not only cultural value, but also broader socio-political significance in the context of preserving historical memory, restoring national identity, strengthening statehood, and ensuring historical justice. Particular emphasis was placed on the practical importance of this initiative for countries that are most vulnerable to resource shortages, technological limitations, and climate-related risks.

In accordance with the Organization’s established procedures, the official proclamation of the International Day of Documentary Heritage will take place during the 44th session of the UNESCO General Conference in November 2027.