The Historical Archive also presented previous recognitions granted by the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Knowledge of Colombia and UNESCO, institutions that have included several of its collections in declarations of cultural heritage at both national and international levels. Added to this is progress in cataloging unpublished material, which made it possible to incorporate nearly thirty thousand documents in the last year, facilitating new lines of research on regional and national history and providing tools for processes of memory and reparation for ethnic communities affected by events between the 16th and 19th centuries.

Looking ahead, the Archive plans the full digitization of its collections and immediate remote access to them. “We are working with the ICT area and the Planning Office so that in the near future this becomes a reality,” added the Archive’s director.

Thus, the University of Cauca demonstrates that it is not only a higher education institution that transforms lives and makes dreams come true, but also that, throughout its 198 years, it has significantly contributed to the protection of cultural heritage by safeguarding the historical memory of the country.