The Mechanism marks the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage

The Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (“Mechanism”) today marks the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage, by releasing a short informational video entitled “Preserving History as it Happens: An Introduction to the Audiovisual Archives of the International Criminal Tribunals”. The video, produced by the Mechanism's Archives and Records Section (“MARS”), highlights the unique audiovisual records that are preserved in the Mechanism's archives,  showcases the variety and the extent of this material, and informs the public as to how to access material managed by the Mechanism.

World Day for Audiovisual Heritage was approved as an initiative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (“UNESCO”), the Coordinating Council of Audiovisual Archives Associations (“CCAAA”), and other organisations in 2005. The Day is intended to help raise awareness about the importance of the preservation of audiovisual heritage, highlight the accessibility of audiovisual archives, and celebrate the work of institutions that have helped to protect, preserve, and provide access to audiovisual material.

In accordance with its mandate, the Mechanism has been tasked with the preservation and management of the archives of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (“ICTR”), the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (“ICTY”), and the Mechanism according to the highest international archival standards and promotes their long-term accessibility, whilst ensuring the protection of confidential and sensitive information.