The official certificate confirming the inclusion in the Regional Register of the UNESCO Memory of the World Program for Latin America and the Caribbean, recognizing the institution as the custodian of the heritage collection "Colonial Section, Old Fund, Central Archive of Cauca," will be presented at a public recognition event.

The MoWLAC Regional Committee officially welcomed the José María Arboleda Llorente Center for Historical Research to the UNESCO Memory of the World Program for Latin America and the Caribbean as the custodian institution of the heritage collection "Colonial Section, Old Fund, Central Archive of Cauca." The official certificate confirming the inclusion will be presented at a public recognition event, which will take place in the second half of this year.

The aforementioned document was incorporated into the Regional Register by resolution of the Committee at its 23rd annual meeting, held from November 27 to 29 last year in Santiago, Chile.

Exciting News: UNESCO Recognizes Section Guarded by the Historical Archive of the University of Cauca as Memory of the World.  

The UNESCO Memory of the World Programme is an international initiative launched and coordinated since 1992, aimed at ensuring the preservation and access to the most relevant documentary and digital heritage for the peoples of the world. In the Latin America and Caribbean region, the MoWLAC Regional Committee and UNESCO are currently creating an Observatory of the region's documentary and digital heritage. This is an online platform to promote the program and articulate strategies for preservation, accessibility, and visibility.

About the "José María Arboleda Llorente" Historical Research Center at the University of Cauca, it is notable for being the most important in the region and the second most important nationwide. This is not only due to the age of its documents but also the volume, continuity of information, and the degree of cataloging. The center's collection allows the general community to access historical information about Popayán, Cauca, and other municipalities and departments in the country.

The Center is affiliated with the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences and was established in 1970, based on the documents from the old Central Archive of Cauca, which were rescued and cataloged by Mr. José María Arboleda Llorente from 1928 until his death in 1969.

Regarding the Memory of the World Register, it is a list of documentary heritage approved by the International Advisory Committee and ratified by the Director-General of UNESCO as an element that meets the selection criteria for documentary heritage considered of global significance.

For more information:

Historical Research Center
Email: archivoh@unicauca.edu.co