The Minister of Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, has
taken steps to ensure that current and future
generations will have a chance to see and hear South
African heritage through the launch of the online
digitised audiovisual recordings. Minister
Mthethwa said ¡§armed with these digitised recordings of
the Rivonia Trial, we shall be able to tell the full
story of this trying period in our history with sound,
words and silences to present and future generations in
all its glory, its horror and ultimately its triumphs.¡¨
The Minister will launch the digitised recordings on 17
November 2017 at the National Archives and Records
Services of South Africa in Pretoria. Audiovisual
archives are a cornerstone of the memory of the world,
which give citizens access to pieces of history at the
touch of a button. The safeguarding and preservation is
key to the protection of world heritage.
Sound recordings and moving images in any form are
vulnerable, and easily discarded or deliberately
destroyed. The department said public awareness of the
importance of audiovisual recordings was necessary as
much of this type of heritage was lost through neglect,
natural decay and technological obsolescence.
The launch of the digitised audiovisual recordings is in
response to a proposal by the Czech Republic in October
2005 made at the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organisation¡¦s (UNESCO) General Conference.
The conference approved the proclamation of 27 October
as the annual World Day for Audiovisual Heritage. This
year¡¦s celebration took place under theme, "Discover,
Remember and Share ".
¡§Through the cooperation project between L¡¦Institut
National De L¡¦Audiovisuel (INA) and the National
Archives and Records Services of South Africa involving
the digitisation of dictabelts and the training of South
African archivists on the digitisation and restoration
of dictabelts, the resultant Rivonia Trial recordings
will be made available to all South African citizens and
the world at large".
In 2018, South Africans can look forward to more
recordings from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
audio-cassettes and papers from renowned writer and
journalist and Bloke Modisane.
¡V Source:
SAgov.news.za |