International call
A joint call by the Ministry of Culture/Directorate General of Antiquities and Heritage International Institute for the first global archive of Lebanese identity.
To the millions of Lebanese and friends of Lebanon across the globe
A shared digital archive for the knowledge, care and transmission of Lebanon’s cultural heritage.
In a historic and unprecedented joint initiative, the Ministry of Culture/Directorate General of Antiquities (DGA) of Lebanon and the Heritage International Institute (HII) are launching a groundbreaking, world-first digital rescue operation to safeguard every facet of the nation’s identity.
Born from the Cooperation Agreement signed between our two institutions during the international summit in Parma, the Ministry of Culture/Directorate General of Antiquities and Heritage International Institute have united their expertise into a single, powerful alliance.
Cultural and natural heritage is an essential resource for understanding history, identities and the relationship between communities and territories. This international call invites contributions to create an open, permanent and participatory digital archive for collective memory, research, education and the transmission of knowledge to future generations.
Heritage connects generations; together, we keep its stories alive.
A living national memory
Every document shared becomes part of a global archive developed through the collaboration between the Ministry of Culture/Directorate General of Antiquities and Heritage International Institute. Written documents, oral testimonies, photographs and audiovisual recordings are all valuable. No memory is too small.
The initiative also accepts materials already in digital form: archives, websites, blogs, photos, audio and video recordings, digital maps, social content with historical or community significance and digital memory projects.
Formats
Documents, letters, diaries, manuscripts, registers, maps, drawings, publications and archival materials.
Photographs, historical photographs, contemporary photographs, family collections and digitized images.
Audio, interviews, oral testimonies, songs, traditional music, archival concerts and performances, environmental recordings and local memory stories.
Video, documentaries, historical footage, archival concerts and performances, traditional events, rituals, craft techniques, testimonies, landscapes and natural environments.
Memory needs context
Wherever possible, each contribution should include useful documentation details such as title, description, place, date, creator or owner, historical-cultural context, heritage classification and rights or permissions.
Contributors are invited to briefly introduce themselves and explain who they are, their connection to Lebanon, what they are sharing, where and when the material comes from, and why it matters to their family or community.
The Ministry of Culture/Directorate General of Antiquities and Heritage International Institute establish the honorary distinction “Guardians of Lebanese Memory” for exceptional contributors who help protect the heritage of the nation.
The Digital Global Archive will be unveiled through a high-level event in Rome, connected by a real-time digital bridge with Beirut.
Italian cultural heritage networks and academic experts support comparative research, technical standards and global visibility.
Citizens, families, communities, associations, schools, universities, researchers, museums, archives, libraries, public bodies and cultural organisations.
One archive. Millions of memories.
Every photograph, testimony and document can become a bridge between generations.
Secure contributions are transferred to the CNR archive for review