Guidelines for Documentary Heritage at Risk

As time goes on, the risk of losing our precious records grows more urgent. Protecting these invaluable records is not a task that can be shouldered by individuals or even by single nations—it is a shared responsibility that we, as global citizens, must embrace. These records, containing the collective memories of humanity, are treasures that we must preserve with care and commitment, so they may continue to inspire and inform future generations.

In response, the ICDH has taken on the mission of guiding states and organizations that face threats to their documentary heritage. To achieve this, ICDH collaborated with preservation experts from around the world, inviting their insights and knowledge to create a comprehensive set of guidelines for safeguarding endangered documentary heritage.

The have been published in two volumes:

1st Edition (2022)
Guidelines for Documentary Heritage at Risk Vol. 1 – Natural Disasters

2nd Edition (2024)
Guidelines for Documentary Heritage at Risk Vol. 2 – Material Characteristics

The goal of these guidelines is to provide states and agencies facing risks to their documentary heritage with the knowledge and resources they need to protect these irreplaceable records. Through this initiative, ICDH brings together global experts to help secure the protection of our shared memories, ensuring their survival for generations to come.