This year’s International Archives Week will be held from June 9 to 15 as a public awareness program on the preservation of audio-visual archives including archives of intangible cultural heritage in Sri Lanka.
According to a decision taken by the International Council on Archives in 1978, the member countries of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) have held an “International Archives Week” annually since 1979 by organising various programs.
The opening ceremony will be held at the auditorium of the Department of National Archives on June 9 at 1.30 pm. Secretary to the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Somarathne Vidanapathirana will be the Chief Guest with the participation of veteran musician Dr. Rohana Baddage and veteran film actress Dr. Malini Fonseka. The online index of the National Archives will also be launched on this day.
The Ceylon African Manja Band of Puttalam Sirambi Adiya will perform on the opening day, which is also International Archives Day on June 9. A short video program on the Duwa Easter plays will be screened as well.
Awareness programs on audio-visual archives and the archiving of intangible cultural heritage have also been organised throughout the week including a Film Festival of selected black and white films of the Sinhala cinema deposited at the Department of National Archives. Entrance is free for the film screenings, which will be at 5 pm on June 9 and 3.30 pm from June 10-15.
