Celebrating Egyptian Achievements in World Audio-visual Heritage and Promoting International Cooperation

Audiovisual materials enable us to observe events we cannot attend, to hear voices from the past that can no longer speak, and to craft stories that inform and entertain. They thus represent important storehouses of humanity’s collective knowledge for current and future generations to build on and an important transgenerational link and a window to our collective past, present and future. In an increasingly globalized work audiovisual content is therefore vital in helping us to understand the world and engage with our fellow human beings.

Egypt’s film industry was established circa 1908 and is the oldest and most prolific in the Arab world. Film makers have been documenting Egypt’s influential transformations since the turn of the 20th century. Egypt has been long known as a center for intellectual, artistic and religious thought, the home of the iconic pyramids and the oldest civilization. Moreover, as a founding member of the United Nations, Egypt has and continues to play a significant role in social, political and economic a ffairs on the national, regional and global stage.

Concerned by the endangerment and potentil loss of Egyptian audio - visual heritage for the Egyptian people and humanity, the Government of Egypt has undertaken a herculean effort to build the technical and human capacity to preserve and share Egypt’s film treasures. Also, by enlisting modern digital technologies, this heritage can in turn be re-used to create new works.

This event will provide an opportunity to highlight the influential role of Egypt’s audiovisual heritage. The day will also showcase the achievements and experiences of the Egyptian Film Restoration Center, a Presidential initiative hosted in the Egypt ian Media Production City (EMPC). By bringing together institutions across Africa, the Arab world, Asia Pacific as well as Latin America and the Caribbean, the event will enhance awareness, knowledge sharing and collaboration. Furthermore, the event will shed light on practical approaches to the national implementation of international standards advocated through UNESCO Memory of the World Program and the Organization’s Cultural Conventions. The event will raise awareness of the UNESCO ​Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions as well as the Recommendation Concerning the Preservation of, and Access to Documentary Heritage including in Digital Form.

Registration Link:     
https://unesco-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_EGWxw312TxGHjRrw24KlFA

With simultaneous interpretation in Arabic, English, French & Spanish.