UNESCO/Jikji Memory of the World Prize
Nomination form
To be submitted by February 2005
Please complete this form, print it out and send it together with the corresponding attachments
to our postal address:
UNESCO/Jikji Memory of the World Prize, Information Society Division, 1, rue Miollis,
75732 Paris Cedex 15, France
1.
Nomination presented by: Comisión Nicaragüense de Cooperación con UNESCO
Name of candidate: Instituto de Historia de Nicaragua y Centroamérica. Universidad
Centroamericana
Street address: Campus Universidad Centroamericana, Managua. Nicaragua. América
Central.
E-mail: vannini@ns.uca.edu.ni
2.
Website: www.ihnca.edu.ni
If the candidate is an individual
Nationality:
Education:
Professional experience:
Publications and materials produced by the candidate relating to the accessibility and
preservation of documentary heritage:
Please send a brief curriculum vitae (1 or 2 pages).
3.
If the candidate is an organization
Type of organization: Academic
Date of establishment: The IHNCA is the result of the union of two institutions: The Library of
the Instituto Histórico Centroamericano, founded by the Company of Jesus, or Jesuit Order, in
1961; and the Instituto de Historia de Nicaragua, created in 1988.
Brief history and general information:
The Instituto de Historia de Nicaragua y Centroamérica is a Research Center of the
Universidad Centroamericana of Managua. Its purpose is to promote historical research, and
to contribute to the preservation and accessibility of Nicaragua’s documentary heritage
through the use of modern technology.
During the last seventeen years, the IHNCA has played a very important role in the recovery,
preservation and accessibility of the national documentary heritage. In order to assess the
importance of IHNCA’s achievements in this area of work, it is necessary to explain the
general situation of Nicaragua’s documentary heritage.
NICARAGUA’S DOCUMENTARY HERITAGE: GENERAL ASSESSMENT
In order to initiate a research work in Nicaragua, it is necessary to consider some aspects of
historical, environmental, cultural and judicial character, that explain the situation of the country’s
historical libraries and archives, as well as the destruction, deterioration and disorganization of most of
the nation’s documentary collections.
In first place, it is necessary to know that Nicaragua’s documentary heritage has suffered
massive destruction due to natural disasters. Managua, the nation’s capital, has been destroyed twice
by earthquakes, in 1931 and 1972. During the twentieth century, Nicaragua was affected by several
hurricanes and tropical storms that caused severe floods in several parts of the country. Volcanic
eruptions have thrown tons of ashes and debris over the main cities in the Pacific region, which were
built several centuries ago and hold the documentary heritage from the colonial period.
Besides, books and documents are subject to deterioration and destruction due to
microorganisms and insects that propagate easily in Nicaragua’s tropical climate, characterized by
high temperatures and humidity all year round.
Political instability in Nicaragua resulted in numerous wars and foreign invasions during the
nineteenth and twentieth centuries, which have also contributed to the destruction of the country’s
cultural and documentary heritage.
After independence from Spain was achieved in the nineteenth century, the country went
through a period of anarchy during which several armed revolts occurred. León, Rivas and Granada,
as well as other important town and cities, were burned and looted. In 1856, the filibuster William
Walker burned the main buildings of Granada to the ground. Between 1912 and 1933, Nicaragua was
invaded and occupied by the United States’ marines. Several national institutions were put under
American officials and, in most cases, the documents produced by these institutions were sent to the
United States.
In 1979, after the triumph of the Sandinist Revolution, many people were eager to destroy all
traces of Somoza’s regime, and proceeded to burn whatever governmental and municipal archives
remained after the air-aids and bombings during the war.
Finally, since 1988 to the present, the state’s institutions have undergone a severe process of
reduction and some have been closed down completely, with the resulting loss of institutional
archives. This process continues until today, and frequently one finds that valuable archives and
libraries have disappeared, because cultural and educational institutions lack the economic means to
preserve them, or because public institutions have been transformed into private companies.
This destruction is a result of the lack of laws related to the administration of archives, and to
the general character of the cultural policies related to the preservation of documentary heritage. The
National Library and Archive, as well as the National Cinemateque have very low budgets, and lack
adequate buildings for the preservation of their collections, as well as qualified personnel to carry out
the specialized tasks required by these institutions.
As a result of all of these problems, Nicaragua’s documentary heritage is very poor, and the
collections are disorganized or in process of deterioration. Few libraries and archives have catalogs,
inventories or other instruments that enable researchers to find the information they are looking for;
thus their progress is very slow, and in some cases, their task is impossible to carry out.
This situation is described in two reports carried out by Spanish experts en 1980 and 1987,
with UNESCO’s economic support, as well as in several papers presented in International Seminaries,
and articles published in local newspapers. Such documents are adjoined to the present nomination
form:
1. Technical Report PP/1979-80/5/10.1/05 FMR/PGI/81/113 (Serrano), March 31st., 1981.
Bibliographic and documentary heritage. Findings of the mission of consultant Andrés
Serrano, organized by UNESCO to inform on the installations, characteristics and state of
conservation of the collections that exist in the national libraries and archives, solicited by the
Government of the Republic of Nicaragua.
2. Technical Report PP/1986-87/VII.2.1 FMR/PGI/87/111 (Cortés Alonso), May 19th., 1987.
National System of Archives and Management of Documents, resulting from the mission of
consultant Vicenta Cortés Alonso, organized by UNESCO to study the conditions of the
country and propose recommendations for the establishment of a National System of
Archives, and to strengthen the measures taken by the National Archive.
3. Report on the Historical Archive of the Diocese of León, published in the magazine of the
National Archive of Costa Rica.
4. Paper entitled “Documentary Sources and Historical Research in Nicaragua”, presented by
Margarita Vannini, General Director of IHNCA, in the III Pan-American Seminar of History,
held in México on September 1995.
5. Situation of the Documentary Heritage of Nicaragua. Diagnosis presented by Margarita
Vannini at the constitutive meeting of the Regional Committee for Latin America and the
Caribbean of the Memory of the World Program, held in Pachuca, México, in the year 2000.
4.
Describe the way in which the work nominated has made a significant contribution
to the preservation and accessibility of documentary heritage (use separate sheet if
necessary:
RECOVERY, PRESERVATION AND ACCESSIBILITY OF DOCUMENTARY HERITAGE
In the desolate context above described, the Instituto de Historia de Nicaragua y
Centroamérica (IHNCA) of the Universidad Centroamericana, has carried out a systematic, continuous
and persevering work in order to recover personal libraries and archives. This work has greatly
increased during the last years, and at present, IHNCA holds a vast collection constituted by books,
printed documents, photographs, slides, oral sources, videos, magazines and maps.
These collections (See adjoined document “Collections of the Instituto de Historia de
Nicaragua y Centroamérica, February 2005”) have been organized, preserved and made accessible
to the public thanks to an active management of economic resources and donations from international
cooperation, specially from the governments of France, Spain, Germany and Canada, as well as
institutions such as the Pan-American Geography and History Institute (IPGH), the Program for
Libraries and Archives of the University of Harvard, and the German Service of Academic Exchange
(DAAD).
Thanks to this cooperation, IHNCA has been able to fulfill the following tasks:
1. Capacitate and train our personnel in the areas of History, Social Sciences, Management of
Archives and Libraries, and Documentary Restoration. At present, several members of IHNCA’s
staff are studying at foreign universities, and others have obtained Master’s degrees. As a result,
two of IHNCA’s researchers have received the National History Award for books on Nicaraguan
history.
2. Preservation of IHNCA’s collections, as well as personal and institutional collections given to us in
custody. This has been possible thanks to the construction of a modern building within the campus
of the Universidad Centroamericana, which is equipped with adequate means for the preservation
of the documentary collections.
3. Digitalization of valuable collections of Central American nineteenth century newspaper
collections, mostly form Nicaragua and El Salvador, which were found in an advances process of
deterioration and could not be consulted by researchers.
4. Restoration and digitalization of valuable nineteenth century Nicaraguan newspaper collections,
that belong to the National Periodical Archive of Nicaragua.
5. Digitalization of valuable historical documents, such as the Royal Titles of two Indian communities
of the Pacific region of Nicaragua.
6. Restoration and digitalization of three important books: The Illustrated Guide of the State of
Nicaragua of 1898; Monumental Nicaragua; and the Historical Photographic Album of Nicaragua.
These are the books with which the National Registry of the Program Memory of the World was
initiated, and they can be consulted in compact disk format at the National Library, and in IHNCA’s
library.
7. Publication of eight compact disks of digitalized documents, such as: Nineteenth Century
Newspapers, Life and Works of Angel Martínez, S.J., The Judicial Bulletin, the Editorials of Pedro
Joaquín Chamorro, and Images of General Sandino.
8. IHNCA has carried out various actions to recover from conditions of imminent destruction the
following outstanding collections:
-
Periodical publications, such as nineteenth century newspaper collections kept under
deplorable conditions in the National Hemeroteque, and a collection of La Prensa
pertaining to the first half of the twentieth century.
-
Personal archives and colonial documents, such as: the Archive of historian and
politician Salvador Mendieta, the Royal Titles of the Sutiaba Indian Community, which
were digitalized and analyzed at the IHNCA, and made accessible to the public
through the publication of a book entitled: Identity and Law: the Royal Titles of the
Town of Sutiaba.
-
Custody and preservation of the Historical Archive of the Nicaraguan Caribbean
Region, which contains the most important historical collection of primary sources
particularly for the nineteenth century; custody of a collection of 495 reels of
microfilmed documents which are now been digitalized to make them more accessible
to students of the University of the Autonomous Regions of the Nicaraguan
Caribbean. The digitalization work is possible thanks to an agreement established
with the Harriet Tumban Center on the African Diaspora at York University.
-
Collections of Photographs from the official newspapers of the Somoza Regime
(1950-1979) and the Sandinista Regime (1979-1998), as well as collections of
archive videos from news agencies. The IHNCA possesses the most complete
collection of images of twentieth century Nicaragua, which are being used in the
production of documentaries presented in history classes, as well as in photographic
exhibitions and museums around the country.
Publications and materials (CD-ROMs, cassettes, videocassettes) produced by the
candidate relating to the accessibility and preservation of documentary heritage:
In the field of photography, IHNCA is carrying out several important projects in order to
preserve and digitalize images, which has enabled us to organize numerous exhibitions and create
documentaries; publish books of Nicaraguan photographs, such as: Images of the Nicaraguan
Caribbean and Visions of Nicaragua in the XX Century; and to illustrate new Nicaraguan History
textbooks that are being studied in High School and in university level.
In this field, IHNCA has organized very important exhibitions that allow us to appreciate the
ethnic and cultural diversity of our country, such as the case of Images of the Caribbean, which has
been presented in several Central American countries, México and Spain. It was also presented in
different activities organized by UNESCO in commemoration of the Day for Cultural Diversity.
The IHNCA also organizes photographic exhibitions that are sent to several countries, such as
the exhibition sponsored by the Embassy of Norway on the Processes of Peace and Disarmament, in
occasion of the Nobel Price for Peace Centennial Commemoration.
In the year 2003, the IHNCA organized a photographic exhibition entitled “Visions of Twentieth
Century Nicaragua”, which was presented with the prized photographs from the World Press Photo
Contest. Visions of Twentieth Century Nicaragua consists of eighty photographs that enable us to
reconstruct the history, culture, and architecture of our country, and represents a pioneering effort in
this field. The catalog of this exhibition is very popular among the Nicaraguan communities that live
abroad.
This year, IHNCA will inaugurate a new photographic exhibition on the history of the cultivation
of coffee in Nicaragua. This exhibition will be presented simultaneously en Managua and in the
Mathers Museum of the University of Indiana, in the United States.
Publication of the compact disk: Guide for the conservation and care of books, documents and
graphic works, in collaboration with the Restoration Center of the Autonomous Community of
Valencia, Spain. The compact disk was distributed free of charge among the participants of the
restoration courses organized by IHNCA, who assisted in representation of most of the documentary
centers, archives and libraries of Nicaragua.
Publication of two compact disks entitled: The Thought of Pedro Joaquín Chamorro in the
Editorials of La Prensa. 1946-1978, one of the main digitalization projects carried out in order to
enhance the accessibility of historical information. Chamorro, Director of the newspaper La Prensa,
was assassinated en 1978 by the Somoza Regime, which he criticized in his editorials. This project is
of great importance for the democratization of Nicaragua, specially now that the mass media has
acquired a relevant role in the struggle against corruption, and in defense of citizen’s rights and the
construction of a real state of justice.
Publication of three compact disks: Newspapers of Nicaragua and Nineteenth Century El
Salvador. These disks contain sixteen collections of Nicaraguan newspapers and eleven collections of
Salvadoran newspapers which were restored and digitalized by IHNCA’s staff. This projects is
considered by UNESCO as a pioneering experience is Latin America, and as a result the staff of
IHNCA’s informatics department were invited to present a paper on this project at the Consultative
Meeting for Latin America and the Caribbean on the Preservation of Digital Patrimony, that was held in
Managua on November 2002. They were also invited to participate in the X Regional Meeting of
CDS/ISIS, held in La Habana, Cuba, in February 2003, to talk about the experiences and progress of
this computerized system, which enables our institution to promote accessibility of Documentary
Heritage in a free and democratic manner.
Another relevant activity carried out by IHNCA in the area of recovery, preservation and
accessibility of information, consisted in the organization of the exhibition of a representative collection
of Nicaraguan movies and videos made during the decade of 1980. Through this activity, IHNCA was
able to recover and digitalize sixty productions by national and foreign artists, which were exhibited
during a week in theaters, universities and parks around the country.
At present, the IHNCA is preparing a new exhibition on the National Literacy Crusade, an
event which had transcendental impact on Nicaragua’s educative and cultural history. IHNCA has
invited the people and countries that collaborated with the Crusade to send copies of documents and
photographs from personal or public archives all over the world.
5. Describe the impact of this contribution to the preservation and accessibility of
documentary heritage, whether at the local, national, regional or international level (use
separate sheet if necessary):
The work that IHNCA has carried out in the areas of preservation and accessibility of
historical information has had a notable impact, both locally as well as regionally. The
digitalized documents are of great interest for the reconstruction of Central American
history, and thanks to their digitalization it is now possible to consult these sources.
Furthermore, the accessibility of photographs and videos has had a positive impact in the
process of teaching history, since it permits the introduction of new strategies based on the
use of audiovisual material in the classrooms. These sources have also been made
accessible through television.
IHNCA has given great importance to the process of capacitating our personnel in the area
of management of information and restoration. In 1998, we were able to send one of the
members of our staff to work and learn at the National Archives in Paris. At present, we are
working on new capacitating projects with the governments for France and Spain, in order to
specialize other members in Restoration and Conservation of Documents. Members of
IHNCA’s staff have also participated in courses organized by UNESCO and Spanish
Cooperation Agencies in Brazil, Peru and Guatemala.
At present, several projects are been carried out as part of a cooperation agreement signed
with de Generalitat of Valencia, Spain, with the purpose of restoring valuable documents
and paintings that are part of IHNCA’s collections, such as a portrait of Rubén Darío and
colonial documents. Thanks to this agreement, every year we are able to organize
workshops with Spanish restoration specialists, who capacitate groups of people, who
manage collections of historical books and documents in several Nicaraguan institutions, in
restoration and preventive conservation techniques.
IHNCA has also organized several workshops on Management Policies, Preservation and
Restoration of Audiovisual Materials with the specialist of the Memory of the World Program,
Mr. Ray Edmonson. In the same field, and with the support of the International
Federation of Filmic Archives (FIAF), IHNCA has organized two workshops on restoration of
audiovisuals, which were taught by Mr. Joao Sócrates de Oliveira. IHNCA has also
reproduced and distributed in compact disk the Guidelines for the Safeguard of
Documentary Heritage and the Philosophy of the Audiovisual Archives of the Memory of the
World Program.
During the past year, IHNCA organized two workshops on preservation of documentary
heritage in libraries, cinemateques and archives in Nicaragua, with the participation of
twenty persons from nineteen different institutions that work with historical heritage. These
workshops were taught by IHNCA’s personnel, as well as specialists who work in the
Nicaraguan Cultural Institute and the Center for Military History of Nicaragua, with the
support of the Nicaraguan Commission of the Memory of the World Program.
IHNCA also organized a course on “Data Processing Laws. Legal Aspects of the Society of
Information”, in order to promote the discussion on new technologies. Seventy five persons
from different institutions participated in this course, taught by Mr. Erick Iriarte Ahon,
Coordinator and Director of the Alfa-Redi Community of Specialists in Public Policies and in
the Normative Structure of the Society of Information.
IHNCA also participates in the technological fairs organized by the Internet Association of
Nicaragua, in order to show how modern technology can be used to promote accessibility
and preservation of historical heritage. In the year 2004, IHNCA participated in the IX
Exhibition of Advanced Technology, EXPOINDE 2004.
In its institutional development, IHNCA is associated with the Latin American Association of
Archives – D Category (ALA); with the International Council of Archives – C Category (CIA);
the Seminar on the Acquisition of Latin American Library Materials (SALALM); and the
International Federation of Associations and Library Institutions (IFLA).
IHNCA’s participation in these international organizations is a result of its purpose to work in
this field with growing specialization and academic rigor. IHNCA is also a place where
colleagues can think and discuss about the processes that rule this discipline. Therefore, it
promotes the application of international normative among the main centers of information in
Nicaragua, in order to facilitate communication and the betterment of bibliographic registers.
6.
Has the candidate received previously any award for the same contribution?
If yes, briefly indicate which prize:
NO
9.
Explain briefly how the prize money would be used:
The prize money will be used to initiate a project with the objective of creating the Central American
Image Archive. This project was approved by the International Consultative Council of the Memory of
the World in its meeting of the year 2003 in Poland, but we have not been able to develop it because
UNESCO has not assigned funds for it.
8. Please attach illustration material or indicate web site(s) where the nominated work
could be consulted.