Archivists in Brazil highlighted for historical preservation efforts

On Archivist Day, observed on October 20, institutions in Brazil are highlighting the critical role of professionals responsible for organizing, preserving, and providing access to physical and digital records.

In the Brazilian Senate, the Senate Archive manages 200 years of institutional history. Through the ‘Arquivo S’ project, a partnership between the Senate Agency and the Archive, historical documents, bills, and parliamentary speeches are transformed into accessible multimedia reports. This project, which began in 2014, includes audio versions to assist visually impaired individuals and works alongside historians to interpret the context of historical records.

In Ceará, the Public Archive of the State of Ceará (APEC), under the State Secretariat of Culture, utilizes 31 professionals to manage the information lifecycle. These archivists oversee the description and research tools for state collections, including significant funds related to the 64/68 Amnesty, the Secretariat of Education, the Secretariat of Public Security, and the Secretariat of Government. Their work ensures the safeguarding of documents essential for understanding the political, social, and economic history of the state.