Heidi archives put on UNESCO ‘Memory of the World Register’
The Johanna Spyri and Heidi archives in Zurich have been inscribed on the “International Memory of the World Register” of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
This decision is a recognition of the archives’ global importance, according to a press releaseExternal link by the University of Zurich, which led the application for inclusion. The university said it “intends to promote the scientific study of these collections”.
Heidi, the little mountain girl created by author Johanna Spyri, has been part of Switzerland’s cultural heritage for more than a century, and has left a mark on art and popular culture around the world. Two collections in Zurich are dedicated to her: the Johanna Spyri Archive, managed by the Swiss Institute for Youth and Media (ISJM), associated with the University of Zurich; and the Heidi Heritage Project (Heidiseum), where the University of Zurich is responsible for the scientific side.
The two archives include valuable original documents of the author, including unpublished manuscripts, letters and illustrations of the Heidi novels.
The Johanna Spyri Archive has been collected since 1968 by the Johanna Spyri Foundation, which is also responsible for the ISJM. It is the world’s most comprehensive collection of the Zurich author’s works, according to the press release.
In addition to Spyri’s literary work, it contains over 1,000 manuscripts, photos, original illustrations, records, numerous foreign language editions of Heidi, scientific works about the author, and objects that belonged to her. The Johanna Spyri archives are kept in the library of the ISJM in Zurich, which is open to the public.
UNESCO’s Memory of the World programme was established in 1992 to promote the protection of documentary heritage. Its main objectives are to ensure free access to important documents, preserve documentary heritage and raise awareness of the importance of heritage.
In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.