Taonga & Memory: NZ’s Memory of The World Register

Celebrate the taonga that have been recently inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World New Zealand Register. Representatives from Auckland Public Library, Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, Hocken Collections, and the Alexander Turnbull Library will speak about the items from these collections that have been inscribed, why they were selected and why they are important to the history of New Zealand.

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. 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 – 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.

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. 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 NZ Register.