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Representatives from archives, museums, libraries, national Memory of the World committees and National Commissions for UNESCO from Arab counties participated in the inaugural conference organized by UNESCO and the National Archives of Qatar in Doha from 21-22 January. 

The first day of the conference included a discussion on wide-ranging topics from the impact of climate change and natural disasters, to protecting documentary heritage in conflict situations. Speakers also discussed issues of protection of private collection and how to strengthen digitalization of archives as well as regional collaboration. 

The second day of the conference was dedicated to the topic of the creation of MOW regional committee. This was the culmination of three rounds of intensive online regional consultations which took place on 14 October 2024, 16 December 2024 and 16 January 2025 where representatives from different Arab countries provided important feedback to enrich and finalize the draft statutes and rule of procedure for the MOWCAR. 

The establishment of the MOWCAR was unanimously endorsed by all the delegates present at the conference. Subsequently, the members of the newly created MOWCAR elected as its inaugural President, Dr. Ahmed Abdullah Al Buainain (Secretary-General of the National Archives of Qatar). Dr. Sherif Kamil Mahmoud Shahin (Chair of the MOW National Committee for Egypt) and Dr. Nidal Al-Ahmad (Director General of the National Library of Jordan) were respectively elected as Vice-Presidents. Additionally, Ms. Kholoud Hantash (Acting Secretary-General of International and Specialized Organizations of the Palestinian National Commission for Education, Culture and Science) was elected as the special thematic Vice-President on Situations of Conflict and Natural Disasters.  The Executive Secretariat will be assured by the National Archives of Qatar. 

A regional committee for Memory of the World is an autonomous entity that supports the mandate and vision of the UNESCO to safeguard and promote documentary heritage. Currently, there are four such regional committees including Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific (MOWCAP), Memory of the World Committee for Latin America (MOWLAC) and the Africa Regional Committee for Memory of the World (ARCMOW) as well as the newly created MOWCAR. 

The UNESCO Memory of the World Programme was created in 1992 with the aim to promote and protect documentary heritage around the world, especially when they are facing danger of decay and loss. The Programme’s vision is that the world’s documentary heritage belongs to all, should be fully preserved and protected for all and, with due recognition of cultural mores and practicalities, should be permanently accessible to all without hindrance.