The Prince Claus Fund, through its Cultural Emergency
Response programme (CER), and the Whiting Foundation announce a new call for
proposals for projects in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean to
safeguard documentary heritage that is acutely threatened by recent conflict or
other disaster, whether natural or man-made.
Manuscripts, rare books, archives, tablets, inscriptions,
and other kinds of documentary heritage are living records of the ideas of
bygone eras, sometimes the only form in which the past survives. Whether they
are housed in libraries or held by families who have passed them down from
generation to generation, they are cherished by the people who watch over them
as objects of historical importance and deep local meaning. They are also
especially fragile vessels, susceptible to fire, insects, and humidity – and
sometimes singled out for deliberate destruction by those afraid of their power
to express viewpoints and cultivate nuance.
When disaster strikes – an earthquake, a flood, or an armed
attack – the threat to these cultural objects is heightened; when it is
overlooked or local resources for rescue are lacking, the heritage may be lost
forever. CER has a history of helping to prevent or minimize such loss, for
example by providing swift funding in Timbuktu, Mali to begin the evacuation,
digitisation, and inventorying of hundreds of thousands of ancient manuscripts
to save them from the hands of militants; in Nepal to salvage the Madan
Puraskar Pustakalaya archives – one of the largest repositories of
Nepali-language materials in the world – after severe earthquake damage; and in
war-torn Syria for the removal to safety of the Knooz archive of 19th and 20th
century journalism.
This new funding collaboration aims to continue this work,
helping preserve writing for a new generation, contribute to the appreciation
of cultural achievement, diversity, and history, and support the dissemination
of forgotten or endangered stories worldwide.
For details on Eligibility, Selection Criteria, and how to
apply, visit http://www.princeclausfund.org/en/activities/open-call-first-aid-to-documentary-heritage-under-threat.html
Posts
