Advancing Archive Preservation for Peacebuilding: Timor-Leste’s New Digitalization Efforts

Dili, Timor-Leste - In post-conflict settings, archives play a pivotal role in the pursuit of truth, justice, and reconciliation by facilitating public access to information. As part of UNESCO's ongoing commitment to supporting peacebuilding in Timor-Leste, national and international experts convened from August 26-27, 2024, at the Chega National Centre in Dili to advance efforts for the Centre's archive preservation and digitalization. This initiative aims to enhance public access to the Centre's archives, which contain critical historical records essentialfor understanding Timor-Leste's history and fostering sustainable peace.

The meeting focused on equipping the newly constructed Archive Centre with the necessary tools to support digital preservation efforts. Key objectives included finalizing a list of essential equipment, developing a procurement plan, and securing resources to ensure timely implementation. Attendees including experts from Cambodia, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, as wellas Timor-Leste contributed their expertise to align the Centre's archive systems with international standards and best practices in archive management.

Discussions centered on the practicality, effectiveness, cost-efficiency, and sustainability of the proposed equipment, while also addressing concerns about archive storage security. Recommendations included using alternatives such as cloud storage or backup servers in collaboration with the government's TIC data center. Participants also emphasized the importance of categorizing equipment by function, establishing a priority procurement list, and ensuring the quality of the digitization process, including proper formats for audio and document archives and maintaining high metadata standards. By implementing these recommendations, the Chega National Centre will be able to enhance its capacity for reconciliation and peacebuilding efforts in Timor-Leste.

The digitalization of the Chega National Centre's archives is part of UNESCO's broader History and Peace Education project, which was launched in December 2021. This effort plays a pivotal role in facilitating public access to historicaldocuments, fostering accountability, and ensuring the nation's peacebuilding process remains rooted in truth and transparency.