UNESCO Memory of the World Programme activities

Slave Trade Archives

The Slave Trade Archives project was launched in 1999 with the aim of improving access to, and safeguarding of, original documents related to the transatlantic slave trade and slavery throughout the world. Eleven projects were implemented in national archives and museums in African, Latin American and Caribbean countries to upgrade their facilities and services in order to ensure adequate preservation of original records, to obtain copies in appropriate formats of records and other documents pertaining to the slave trade and slavery.


Slovakia - Basagic’s Collection of Islamic Manuscripts in the University Library of Bratislava

The collection contains unique manuscripts and essential works of medieval Islamic scholarly literature between the 12th and the 19th century, and prints from two centuries, starting from 1729. The 284 manuscript volumes and 365 printed volumes portray the development of Islamic civilisation from its commencement to the beginning of 20th century. The collection comprises Arabic, Persian and Turkish works and rare Serbian and Croatian texts written in Arabic script.

In order to adequately protect the original documents and so to preserve them for the next generations and, at the same time, to enable the public to use them, the library has digitised the collection and published samples of illustrations, calligraphic art, and manuscript bindings, together with bibliographic records of individual titles in the original oriental language and in English.