Activists’ Guide to Archiving launched at Brazil’s National Archives

Every year we look forward to celebrating UNESCO’s World Day for Audiovisual Heritage. This past Saturday, WITNESS joined Brazil’s National Archives, Via 78 and Brazilian Association of Audiovisual Preservation to celebrate the power of archiving. But this year was not just a celebration—we also launched the Portuguese version of our award-winning Activists’ Guide to Archiving, which aims to facilitate access to safe and ethical practices for long-term preservation of video documentation.

WITNESS’ Brazil Program Manager Victor Ribeiro joined a panel at the National Archives to discuss the importance of archiving and community strategies regarding Brazil’s favelas where black youth are especially targeted, surveilled and murdered by police. Our Brazil team continues to train, organize, and help preserve critical footage of police violence and community-led narratives by bolstering the work of partners like Coletivo Papo Reto. 

Thanks to the efforts of all translators and volunteers reviewers in Brazil, with special shout-outs to Maria Byington and Marco Dreer, whose translations and revisions have resulted in the final guide which has been circulating around the country in events and discussions on the use of video in the fight for social justice.

Read the original post in Portuguese.