Documentary heritage constitutes the recorded memory of humanity, preserving knowledge, experiences, and values that link past generations with the present and future. In response to growing threats such as conflict, social upheaval, neglect, and technological change, UNESCO established the Memory of the World (MoW) Program in 1992 to prevent the loss of irreplaceable documentary heritage and address the risk of “collective amnesia.”

The Program is guided by the principle that “the world’s documentary heritage belongs to all, should be fully preserved and protected for all and… should be permanently accessible to all without hindrance”. Its core objectives are to facilitate preservation, promote universal access, and enhance public awareness of the value of documentary heritage. Through international, regional, and national committees, the MoW Program supports coordinated efforts to safeguard manuscripts, archives, audiovisual materials, and digital records, in line with UNESCO’s 2015 Recommendation on the preservation of and access to documentary heritage.

Sri Lanka has made a notable contribution to the Memory of the World Program with five inscriptions on the UNESCO MoW Register: the Tsunami Archives, United East India Company (Vereenigde Ostindische Compagnie – VoC) Archives, the Trilingual Inscription, the Mahavamsa, and the Documents of the Panadura Vadaya. These inscriptions reflect the country’s rich historical, religious, linguistic, and social legacy.

The achievements of Sri Lanka in the MoW Program are strongly supported by the dedicated efforts of the National Library and Documentation Services Board and the Department of National Archives, whose professional stewardship continues to strengthen documentary heritage preservation nationwide.