Obaseki urges innovations to conserve, safeguard audio-visual heritage

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has urged stakeholders on the need to explore and develop innovative ways of managing and preserving audiovisual resources, ensuring that human experiences are collated and documented in formats that are easily retrievable.

Obaseki gave the charge in commemoration of the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage, marked every October 27 by the United Nations Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), and other sister organisations.

The governor, who restated the need to conserve and safeguard valuable audiovisual resources for future generations, reassured that the museum project in the state will serve as a critical institution to preserve the audio-visual heritage of Edo people.

According to him, “Today being the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage, presents yet another opportunity to explore more innovative ways to preserve and safeguard our audio-visual heritage, ensuring that our experiences are collated and documented in formats that are easily retrievable.”

He identified digitisation as one of the most appropriate ways of preserving and storing audio-visual contents, noting that the format opens limitless opportunities for publishing and broadcasting in digital media, which is easily relatable among youths in the technology age.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment to safeguarding the rich and diverse cultural heritage of Edo people, Obaseki urged “for collaboration among global stakeholders in ensuring that sustainable structures are built, and that the legacy of our times is not only preserved but are made to reflect the full gamut of our experiences.”

According to the UN, “Audiovisual archives tell us stories about people’s lives and cultures from all over the world. They represent a priceless heritage, which is an affirmation of our collective memory and a valuable source of knowledge since they reflect the cultural, social, and linguistic diversity of our communities.

“They help us grow and comprehend the world we all share. Conserving this heritage and ensuring it remains accessible to the public and future generations is a vital goal for all memory institutions, as well as the public at large.

“The World Day for Audiovisual Heritage (WDAH) provides an occasion to raise general awareness of the need to take urgent measures and to acknowledge the importance of audiovisual documents. It serves as an opportunity for member states to evaluate their performance with respect to implementing the 2015 Recommendation Concerning the Preservation of, and Access to, Documentary Heritage, Including in Digital Form.”