Posted on 26 October 2018
On the occasion of World Day for Audiovisual Heritage the Historical Archives of the European Union published an interview of Professor Gabriele Clemens dealing with the crucial issues concerning audio-visual material in the Archives environment. Professor Clemens explained how audio-visual material can be used as a primary source in historical research, and which are the main difficulties facing users when handling this particular type of documents.
The HAEU’s daily work is aimed at making accessible the audio-visual recordings and images that define the European cultural heritage. From the scenes depicted in this short video, we see how A/V media demonstrate the historical motivations for a unified and peaceful Europe, and their role in promoting a shared European identity over the years. It has been published on the EUI’s YouTube channel and is now available at this link.
The World Day for Audiovisual Heritage is held on the 27 October annually and , is an initiative of both UNESCO and the Coordinating Council of Audiovisual Archives Association (CCAAA). It aims at honouring audio-visual preservation professionals and institutions, which are safeguarding this heritage for future generations. It is also an occasion to discover the abundance of audio-visual materials around the world as well as an occasion to discuss the vulnerability, peculiarities, and technical features of these very special types of documents.
Events linked to the 2018 World Day for Audiovisual Heritage taking place worldwide can be consulted here.
To see how this day is being celebrated, you can also follow the hashtag #WDAVH2018 on Twitter.
Professor Gabriele Clemens holds a Jean Monnet Chair of European Integration History and European Studies at the University of Hamburg, Germany. She is the author of the book “Werben für Europa” and has recently carried out original researches on HAEU audio-visual heritage. Her project “Europafilme” will be presented and discussed during the Seminar “Advertising Europe” – Films on European integration between Information and Propaganda, to be held at EUI in Florence on 29 October 2018.