PARIS, April 25. /Dunyo IA/. On April 23^rd, at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, during the 224^th session of the Executive Board, a draft resolution proposed by Uzbekistan to proclaim November 19 as International Documentary Heritage Day was unanimously approved, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

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

Documentary heritage - including manuscripts, archives, library collections, audiovisual materials, and digital records - is a vital part of the collective memory of humanity. However, it remains vulnerable due to a lack of resources, limited digitization capabilities, technological obsolescence, as well as climatic and other risks.

In this context, this initiative is aimed at raising global awareness of the significance of documentary heritage, mobilizing the efforts of member states and partners for its preservation, expanding access to it - including in digital form - as well as strengthening international cooperation and enhancing the visibility of UNESCO's “Memory of the World” program.

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

In this regard, Uzbekistan’s initiative was unanimously supported by all UNESCO member states. Notably, 65 UNESCO member states co-authored the Executive Board resolution 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 several states expressed their firm support for Uzbekistan’s initiative, noting its timeliness, practical significance, and alignment with UNESCO’s priorities in the field of preserving documentary heritage.

The speeches emphasized that the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan to establish an International Day seamlessly fits into UNESCO’s priorities in the spheres of education, culture, access to knowledge and the preservation of human memory. It also contributes to the strengthening of the “Memory of the World” program, expanding international attention to documentary heritage, and mobilizing practical measures for its protection.

Particular attention was drawn to the fact that documentary heritage holds 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. The practical importance of the initiative was especially emphasized for countries most vulnerable to resource shortages, technological constraints and climatic risks.

In accordance with the established procedures of the organization, the official proclamation of International Documentary Heritage Day will take place at the 44^th session of the UNESCO General Conference in November 2027.