From Legacy to Future Action

The event, held at the invitation of H.E. Amb. Simona-Mirela Miculescu and organized in collaboration with the UNESCO Archives, was attended by almost 400 people in person and online. The attendees included a broad spectrum of the public - researchers and specialists, students and youth, poets and scientists - and UNESCO staff and Member States, including delegates, ambassadors, and diplomats.

Through stimulating panel discussions with renowned intellectuals and specialists, screenings of rarely seen films from the UNESCO Archives, an exhibition, and a documentary film produced for the occasion, the event highlighted the fundamental connection between the past work of the IIIC and the current mission and programme of UNESCO. The event drew attention to the treasures in UNESCO's archives, 95% of which remain undigitized despite their at-risk condition, recalling the necessity for UNESCO to raise funds to safeguard its own documentary heritage.

Important ideas for action were raised during the panel discussions and enriched by valuable perspectives from the audience. The event marks a key moment in the renewal of UNESCO's initiatives for international intellectual cooperation and the mobilization of archives to ensure human rights, justice, and access to information. We wish to thank all speakers and attendees of the event. Special thanks are due to the event sponsors, without whose generosity the event could not have taken place: Permanent Delegation of the French Republic to UNESCO, Permanent Delegation of Japan to UNESCO, Permanent Delegation of the Principality of Monaco to UNESCO, Permanent Delegation of Romania to UNESCO, Polytechnic University of Bucharest, and Cultural Association "Heritage for the Future."

We invite you to relive this historic moment by watching a short film on the birth of the IIIC 100 years ago and the adoption of its mission by UNESCO.