Call summary :

Context

UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme’s mission is to facilitate preservation of the world’s documentary heritage, enable its universal access and enhance public awareness of its significance. Anchored on the 2015 UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Preservation of, and Access to, Documentary Heritage including in Digital Form, the issue of preserving documentary heritage allows for a further linkage to other international development agreements, notably the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, which provides a useful mechanism for discussing possible policy actions for the preservation of documentary heritage.
This linkage allows to raise awareness among policymakers, memory institutions and other global stakeholders on the need of incorporating a disaster management approach into the legislation and practices for the sustainable preservation of documentary heritage. In this context and with the support of the Japanese Funds-in -Trust, the Memory of the World Programme has implemented projects that advance on promoting disaster management strategies into safeguarding practices through policy development, capacity building and enhanced international cooperation.

Nevertheless, given escalating global challenges, conflicts, wars and environmental issues, to which Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States are especially vulnerable to, the Programme has launched the UNESCO Memory of the World Initiative to Safeguard Documentary Heritage at risk, focusing on responding to localized needs and issues. The initiative aims to support pressing on the ground issues by granting financial aid to local, national, regional, and international projects based on a global call for proposals.

Scope of the projects
The Call for proposals covers the following activities in three main areas, which are not exhaustive:
1. Mitigation and Preparedness
• Operational activity for preservation of documentary heritage (e.g. digitization, cataloguing, etc.)
• Capacity building (e.g. workshops, training, expert exchange to support assessment, planning and training.)
• Research activity for emergency preparedness.
• Development of disaster plans.
• Deployment of early warning system.
• Awareness-raising and advocacy.
• Measures to mitigate the impact of climate change and/or reduce carbon footprint.
2. Response
• Rescue of damaged documentary heritage.
• Emergency digitisation capacity building.
• Deployment of rapid assessment and advisory missions.
• Documentation and monitoring.
3. Recovery
• Equipment for preservation/digitisation of documentary heritage.
• Activity in a post-disaster/conflict environment.
• Documenting disasters, generating social memory by community engagement.

Duration of project
The activities described in the proposal must cover a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 18 months of implementation.

Financial modality
An estimated 10 to 20 grants will be distributed under this Call. Amounts allocated will range from a minimum of USD $15,000 up to a maximum USD $70,000.

Eligibility
The Call for proposals is open for the following candidates:
• Memory Institutions. These include but are not limited to archives, libraries, museums and other educational, cultural and research organizations.
• Professional associations and networks, academic and research institutions, NGOs, and other documentary heritage holding entities. These are not exhaustive.

Requirements
Selected implementing partners should:
• Have at least 2 years of proven work in the field of identification, preservation, accessibility or awareness raising of documentary heritage.
• It is beneficial if the candidate has experience in a disaster risk reduction (mitigation, preparation, recovery and/or response) in any field that would make a significant contribution to the sustainable preservation of documentary heritage (cultural heritage, environmental, etc).
• Display basic managerial and record-keeping competencies, as well as appropriate internal control procedures.
• Have proof of legal status of an entity independent to UNESCO
• Have a sound financial status: applicants must prove they have stable and sufficient sources of funding to maintain their activity throughout the project period.
• Have the capacity to:
o Manage the volume of funds and implement the agreed-upon activities in an efficient and effective manner.
o Participate in planning, monitoring, and evaluation activities (the latter, if applicable).
o Assign a staff to carry out or lead the implementation of the project