China hosts global archive workshop to boost international collaboration

In order to boost international collaboration with China in the archival sector, the "2024 International Workshop on Archives" kicked off in Shanghai on Monday by gathering 29 promising archivists from around the world.

They included world leading archival experts from China as well as 14 professionals from multiple countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Greece, Kenya and Zambia.

Themed "Global Archive Community in the Digital Age: Challenges and Opportunities," the eight-day workshop co-hosted by Shanghai University, the International Council on Archives (ICA), and the Shanghai Archives will mark a milestone in global archival governance facing the evolving landscape. 

The program will delve into critical topics, such as new technologies for traditional media preservation, data governance standards, and the transformation of archives in the digital era. Through expert lectures, workshops and field visits, participants will gain insights into cutting-edge archival practices and contribute to shaping the future of the field.

Over 200 archivists and researchers attended the opening ceremony. Liu Changsheng, president of Shanghai University and an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, highlighted the potential of this workshop to become a model for international cooperation in archival science. 

Xu Weiwan, director of the Shanghai Archives, highlighted the workshop's location in Shanghai, a city of integration and digitization. 

"It provides precious opportunities for Shanghai archivists to further explore international exchange and intellectualized transformation in the area," she said.

Josée Kirps, president of ICA, and Lin Zhenyi, deputy director of the National Archives Administration of China, both expressed hopes for enhanced collaboration between China and ICA to contribute to global archival governance.

"This is the first step of collaboration with China, and we see huge potentials of partnership in archival education and digitization," said Kirps.

Wang Biye contributed to this story.