Taonga and memory: new inscriptions on New Zealand’s Memory of the World Register

The Team from Alexander Turnbull Library

Date: Tuesday, 18 February, 2020
Time: 12:10pm to 1:10pm
Cost: Free
Location: Taiwhanga Kahau — Auditorium (lower ground floor), Corner Molesworth and Aitken Streets, Wellington. Entrance on Aitken Street.

UNESCO Memory of the World New Zealand register
The UNESCO Memory of the World New Zealand register was established in 2010 and currently lists 35 inscriptions of significant documentary heritage. Their custodians include heritage institutions and other organisations in our main cities, small towns and private collections. All greatly contribute to the story of our nation’s history and heritage and are significant to the identity of New Zealanders today.

Hear about the 2019 inscriptions on the New Zealand register
In 2019 five new inscriptions were made to the New Zealand register. Come and hear representatives from Auckland Public Library, Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, Hocken Collections, and the Hocken Collections talk about the items from these collections, why they were selected and why they are important to the history of New Zealand. The five new inscriptions to be discussed are:

• C P Dawes’ early photographs of Hokianga

• meteorological records kept by the Rev Richard Davis from 1839-1851

• WWII NZ Mobile Broadcasting Unit Recordings

•the papers of Dr Muriel Bell, an early medical researcher, and

• the Sir Julius von Haast collection of scientific papers from the late 19th century.

Amongst previous inscriptions are He Whakaputanga, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the 1893 Women’s Suffrage Petition, the literary papers of Katherine Mansfield, and the Edmund Hillary collection. You can see the full list of the inscriptions on the New Zealand Register

New Zealand Register
UNESCO recognition draws attention to the significance of documentary heritage and the institutions that are its custodians. Inscription on the register raises awareness of the custodian’s institutions and promotes the importance of caring for our documentary heritage.