MBABANE – The Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) yesterday joined the Eswatini National Archives and Records Service (ENARS) in celebrating International Archives Day, an event dedicated to promoting the value of preserving national memory and historical records.
The commemoration, held under the theme “Archives are Accessible – Archives for Everyone,” brought together archivists, researchers, educators and innovators to discuss how technology and digitisation are reshaping access to national archives.
Delivering welcome remarks, the Regional Administrator for Hhohho, Princess Tsandzile Dlamini, reflected on her personal connection to the archives, having once served as an archivist at the institution. She noted the importance of preserving records as part of Eswatini’s heritage and institutional memory.
ICT Minister Savannah Maziya, in her keynote address, spoke about the transformative power of technology in making archives more accessible to the public. She said digitisation is enabling people from all parts of Eswatini and beyond to access historical documents remotely, protecting fragile records while connecting communities and generations through shared history.
The celebration featured presentations on the development of school archives and the integration of indigenous knowledge systems into record management. Experts from across sectors participated in a panel discussion exploring how archival materials can be made more inclusive and available to everyone.
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