International Exchanges

International Exchanges
International Exchanges
International Exchanges
International Exchanges

1. International Council on Archives (ICA)

>>ICA organization chart [PDF]

International Council on Archives (ICA) was founded in 1948 with assistance extended by UNESCO. As a non-governmental organization, ICA aims to ensure mutual contacts among archives of various countries, and to contribute to their development. With its headquarters office in Paris, it has a membership of 1500 national and regional archives, professional organizations, educational institutions and individuals from over 190 countries/territories.
ICA holds the International Congress on Archives every four years and annual conferences in other years, where heads of national archives and professional groups get together and discuss selected archival issues.
The National Archives of Japan (NAJ) joined ICA in 1972, and since then it has positively implemented international cooperation through information exchange with foreign archives and archivists.
NAJ President was elected to serve as a vice-president of ICA from 2005 to 2008, and as the chairman of a regional branch from 2007 to 2011.
In 2008, ICA established June 9th as “International Archives Day” in celebration of its 60th anniversary. In relation to this, NAJ engages in public relations and awareness activities every year through, for example, hosting of commemorative lecture meetings.
In the plenary session “Disaster Planning and Response” within the framework of the 43rd International Conference of the Round Table on Archives (CITRA) in Toledo, Spain in October 2011, NAJ President gave a presentation on the efforts of the Japanese government and archival community to tackle with archives damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Moreover, in the 17th International Congress on Archives in Brisbane, Australia in August 2012, NAJ provided sessions which focused on the Great East Japan Earthquake, local and university archives in Japan, and digital archives, as well as a conservation technique workshop. Attracting many attendees, all of these received favorable comments.

2. East Asian Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (EASTICA)

Article 16 of the ICA Constitution reads: “Members wishing to promote the aims of ICA and strengthen cooperation within a particular transnational geographical area, may group themselves into regional branches...” Based on this provision, 13 regional branches have been established so far.
NAJ is a member of the East Asian Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (EASTICA) which was inaugurated in Beijing in July 1993. Other members are China, Korea, Mongolia, North Korea, Hong Kong and Macao. NAJ President is currently serving as an EASTICA executive board member after completing two terms as the chairman of the board from 2007 to 2011.
EASTICA has contributed to development of archives in the East Asian region through a variety of meetings such as workshops, seminars, executive board meetings and biannual general conferences. As a board member, NAJ has hosted three general conferences in Tokyo in the past: the 3rd in 1997, the 8th in 2007 and the 10th in 2011.
In 2003, together with the University of Hong Kong, EASTICA newly launched a three-week training program in Hong Kong for archives staff, inviting prominent archivists and academics as lecturers. Many staff members of national archival institutions, including those of NAJ, have completed this program.

3. International Exchanges

NAJ proactively sends its staff to public archives abroad to study foreign archival systems, as well as their functions and business affairs. It also strives to provide information through various activities, such as dispatching its officers and officials to international conferences. In 2010, for example, on the occasion of the International Archival Culture Exhibition (IACE 2010) held in Seoul, South Korea, NAJ not only loaned some replicas of its holdings but also made presentations to have its Digital Archive better known to the community.
Moreover, NAJ accepts visitors and trainees from abroad. In recent years, training programs focusing on conservation techniques were prepared for the staff of the Public Records and Archives Administration Department of Ghana, the Provincial Archives of Aceh, Indonesia, and the Afghanistan National Archives, among others. In particular, specialized training for the conservation officials of the National Records and Archives Authority of Oman has been provided on a yearly basis since 2010. This came to fruition as a result of a visit to NAJ of the Omani Minister of Heritage and Culture in 2008.

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