News dated
On 4 November, sixty years after the 1966 flood, UNESCO and Fondazione Giorgio Cini announced a project to digitise archives documenting Venice’s safeguarding. The work will take two years and covers approximately 110,000 documents, alongside a collection containing around 6,000 photographs and audiovisual materials. Access will expand gradually: the entire collection is not already online. [1]
The 2026–2028 project combines digital preservation, research and training. It provides for three annual scholarships for students and young researchers, plus a fellowship for a young digital artist. The material records restoration, decisions and international cooperation: digitisation also means preserving each document’s context, rather than simply photographing its pages. [2]
The bright side
An archival memory will be able to reach more people while heritage protection also develops new skills. [1]
One idea, in simple words
An archive keeps documents that help us understand what happened and which decisions people made. On 4 November, UNESCO and Fondazione Giorgio Cini announced a project for archives about protecting Venice. Over two years, they plan to make digital copies of documents, photographs and audiovisual material, sharing them gradually. The project has just started: everything is not already online. [1]
Imagine an old photograph with no name, date or location. Copying it onto a computer does not make it easy to understand. That example explains why archivists need to describe and organise materials as well as copy images. The programme also includes training for young researchers. Digital copies can make research and access easier, but do not remove the value of originals or the work needed to preserve them. [2]
A little discovery to keep
What did you discover?
Straight from the source.
- 60 years since the Aqua Granda: digitising the archives on the safeguarding of Venice UNESCO · 4 Nov 2026
- Preserving Documentary Heritage, Sharing History: Universal Access to Digitised UNESCO Archives on the Safeguarding of Venice UNESCO · 4 Nov 2026
- Digital Centre – ARCHiVe Fondazione Giorgio Cini · No publication date provided
Original reporting summaries prepared with AI assistance and accessible sources. Our editorial method.
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