UNESCO: Audio Visual Heritage Endangered By Ethnic, Religious Crises

Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

The Director of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Irina Bokova, has disclosed that the world’s audio visual heritage is becoming endangered as a result of crises, ethnic and religious strifes and natural disasters.

Bokova however stated that, being conscious of this fact, UNESCO encourages member states to raise awareness on the importance of audiovisual documents as an integral part of national identity.

This was made known by UNESCO Regional Director, Mr. Benoit Sossou, at a training workshop on the preservation of audio visual heritage held on Thursday in Abuja.

According to Sossou, “This training programme is meant for archivists, film producers, librarians and aimed at enhancing participants’ capacity in safeguarding of audio visual heritage through modern preservation methods and also raise public awareness of the need for the preservation of our audio visual heritage.

“There is no doubt that Nigeria has had its fair share of disasters that has put its audiovisual heritage at risk, where documentary treasures have disappeared. There is therefore the need for stakeholders to preserve their audio visual heritage for posterity.”

He stress the need to ensure the preservation of documentary heritage that has world significance, adding that it is important to make this heritage accessible to as many people as possible, using the most appropriate technologies.

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