27 October 2010

Remembering the struggle: SAHA's AV audit report updated

The World Day for Audiovisual Heritage is sponsored by the United Nations' Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Its proclamation four years ago reflects a growing understanding, and profound urgency, toward increased efforts related to preserving audiovisual records, including film, video, radio and recorded sound material. They represent an invaluable heritage of human memory, capturing the essence of human experience and significant events as they occurred.

In 2009, SAHA conducted an audit of video and film material dealing with the South African Liberation Struggle, with funding from the Atlantic Philanthropies and professional support from the Visual History Archive at the University of Cape Town. In 2010, a follow-up audit was conducted, and the report has been updated. This is currently available as a free download from our website for registered users.

Get a copy of the Audiovisual Audit Report.

The aim of this audit was to increase awareness of, and access to, audiovisual material relating to the liberation struggle in South Africa through identifying and listing archives, stock footage libraries and other repositories, both nationally and internationally, which currently house such materials. A brief overview of the holdings of each repository is included, along with contact details and links to related finding aids, where available.

This report should be seen as a work-in-progress, to which additional information can be added and for which the existing information can be refined. SAHA remains committed to obtaining an exhaustive audit of audiovisual heritage related to the South African liberation struggle. This will be released each year on World Day of Audiovisual Heritage.

Contact Michal Singer if you would like to contribute to the AV Audit update for 2011.