Building peace in the minds of men and women

Documentary Heritage along the Silk Roads

UNESCO established the Memory of the World Programme in 1992. The original impetus came from a growing awareness of the difficulties in preserving and accessing documentary heritage in various parts of the world. War and social upheaval, as well as severe lack of resources, have worsened problems which have existed for centuries. Significant collections worldwide have suffered a variety of fates. Looting and dispersal, illegal trading, destruction, inadequate housing and funding have all played a part. Much has vanished forever; much is endangered. Happily, missing documentary heritage is sometimes rediscovered.

This section on Documentary Heritage presents the ancient manuscripts of historic value along the Silk Roads that have been listed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.

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