The Robben Island Museum (RIM) and the University of the Western Cape (UWC), in partnership with the French National Audiovisual Institute (INA) and Agence Française de Développement (AFD) on Tuesday, hosted the launch of the “Unboxing Mayibuye Project” at the Nelson Mandela Gateway to Robben Island on Tuesday.
The “Unboxing Mayibuye – Access to Digital Heritage” project will, over the next three years, initiate and establish the framework for digital preservation within the Mayibuye Archives and provide improved access to some collections.
RIM Chief Heritage Officer, Tshima Nemaheni, said: “In our quest to create more touch points for our people to engage with South Africa’s public and cultural heritage, this project paves the way to expand our reach, while making sure history and heritage remain relevant and accessible, especially given the ever-increasing uptake of digital communications.
“This partnership is also key in how we reposition RIM to expand access to heritage, and it puts us in a position to impart knowledge and share learnings with other museums,” Nemaheni said.
The RIM and INA project is funded by Agence Française de Développement (AFD).
These organisations are aligned, through a common mission and ambition, to transmit and develop knowledge and innovation, in order to preserve and give access to national heritage that resonates internationally.
INA CEO Laurent Vallet said: “INA is proud and honoured to be entrusted by the Robben Island Museum with supporting the preservation of its precious collection, documenting the history of the struggle against apartheid in South Africa and beyond. A unique collection part of South Africa’s memory and our universal legacy.
“The implementation of training actions for RIM staff as well as national and regional professionals will help foster the cross-border sharing of knowledge and expertise.
“My gratitude also goes to AFD, its teams and its president, Mr Rémy Rioux, for their commitment to this heritage project of global influence which could not have been achieved without their early and lasting support.”
AFD’s Regional Director for Southern Africa and Country Director for South Africa Audrey Rojkoff highlighted that this project of digitization will allow the Mayibuye Archives to expand its reach to wider audiences, to ensure that the voices of the past are never silenced, to keep the traces and testimonies of the South African anti- colonial and anti-apartheid struggles alive in both South African and global consciousness
"Today’s launch will be followed by round table discussions on October 12, held at the Mayibuye Archives at the University of the Western Cape.
“These discussions will engage with memories, access and the liberation archive and explore Innovation and technologies for managing and providing access to archives."
RIM Council Member Enver Daniels said the fire at UCT highlighted the need to digitise.
"Digitalisation will inspire people to strive to move forward in documenting our history. The agreement with relevant stakeholders is vital to preserve the important information,” he said.
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