In cooperation with the University of British Columbia (Canada) UNESCO organized an international conference from 26 to 28 September 2012 in Vancouver (BC) Canada that explored the main issues affecting the preservation of digital documentary heritage. The more than 500 participants discussed strategies that can contribute to greater protection of digital assets and produced the UNESCO /UBC Vancouver Declaration for implementation by UNESCO, and its Member States, professional associations and industry.

The conference participants included professionals from the heritage sectors, as well as a range of government, IT industry, rightsholders and other stakeholders who were exposed to the views of experts from all levels of development in an attempt to produce practical recommendations to ensure permanent access to digital documentary heritage.

Despite the adoption of the UNESCO Charter on the Preservation of the Digital Heritage in 2003, there is still insufficient awareness of the risks of loss of digital heritage, even though knowledge is today primarily created and accessed through digital media.

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