Aruba to Receive 2024 Internet Archive Hero Award for Groundbreaking Digital Heritage Initiatives

In a world where digital access to knowledge is increasingly vital, the island nation of Aruba has taken bold steps to ensure its cultural heritage is preserved and accessible for generations to come. We are thrilled to announce that Aruba will be honored with the 2024 Internet Archive Hero Award at our annual celebration on October 23 in San Francisco and online.

The Internet Archive Hero Award is presented annually to individuals, organizations, or nations that have shown exceptional leadership in expanding access to knowledge and supporting the digital preservation of cultural and historical materials. Recipients of the award exemplify the values of openness, accessibility, and collaboration that are essential to a free and informed global society. Previous recipients have included librarian and copyright expert Michelle Wu, public access advocate Carl Malamud, the Biodiversity Heritage Library, and the Grateful Dead.

Aruba’s Commitment to Preservation and Access 

Aruba’s commitment to preserving its history and culture through digital initiatives has been nothing short of visionary. Earlier this year, the nation launched Coleccion Aruba, a digital heritage portal that provides free global access to its historical materials and cultural treasures. The initiative ensures that Aruba’s rich history—its documents, artifacts, and stories—are accessible to the world, helping to safeguard its national identity in the digital age. You can learn more about the launch of this groundbreaking collection here.

From left: Mrs. Astrid Britten, Director of the National Library Aruba; Mr. Raymond Hernandez, Director National Archives of Aruba; and Brewster Kahle, Internet Archive, at the signing of the Statement Protecting Digital Rights of Memory Institutions, April 9, 2024.

In another historic first, Aruba became the first country to officially endorse the Statement Protecting Digital Rights of Memory Institutions, recognizing the importance of libraries, archives, and museums in preserving digital cultural heritage. By supporting this statement, Aruba set a powerful precedent for nations worldwide to protect the digital rights of libraries and memory institutions. You can read more about Aruba’s leadership in this area here.

Brewster Kahle, founder of the Internet Archive, praised Aruba’s commitment to the digital preservation of cultural heritage, describing the nation’s efforts as “a beacon of hope in the global movement to safeguard history in the digital era.” In his reflections on Aruba’s leadership, Brewster wrote that “Aruba’s bold support of library digital rights shows what is possible when nations value not just their own history, but the global importance of memory institutions. Their commitment sends a strong message: culture, knowledge, and history belong to everyone.” 

What the Award Means for Aruba

Reflecting on the award, the Minister of Finance and Culture, Mrs. Xiomara Maduro remarked, “We thank Internet Archive for this great honor of recognizing Aruba’s hard work and efforts in preserving and making our cultural heritage accessible through the Coleccion Aruba online platform. This award is a significant encouragement to continue our work in safeguarding our culture and history. Thank you for supporting our efforts to keep our rich cultural heritage alive and accessible for our future generations.”

Mrs. Astrid Britten, Director of the National Library Aruba: “We are beyond excited and deeply honored by this recognition from the Internet Archive. What began in 2018 with Mr. Peter Scholing at the National Library of Aruba, and our partnership with the Internet Archive, has grown into something truly remarkable. The launch of Coleccion Aruba earlier this year marks a significant milestone in our journey, and it’s inspiring to see over 150,000 digital items—more than the number of inhabitants on our island—shared globally. The involvement of the National Archives of Aruba (under the leadership of Mr. Raymond Hernandez and Mr. Edric Croes), UNOCA (Ms. Ray-Anne Hernandez), and other key partners since 2022 has strengthened our mission to ensure that Aruba’s cultural treasures are preserved and accessible, not only for our own people but for audiences far beyond our shores. Aruba’s dedication to preserving digital history and ensuring access to knowledge for all has set a new benchmark for collaboration, through innovation and partnership. This acknowledges Aruba’s impact in digital preservation.”

Mr. Raymond Hernandez, Director National Archives of Aruba: “On behalf of Coleccion Aruba, the National Archives of Aruba is deeply honored to receive the Internet Archive Hero Award. While we were never in pursuit of any awards, this recognition is a profound encouragement for the work we have been doing to preserve and share Aruba’s rich cultural heritage. This together with all of our partners as well. As a small island in the Caribbean with limited resources, our mission to make our national archives accessible to all has been driven by the belief that open access to knowledge is essential for our community and beyond. With the support of the Internet Archive, we are inspired to continue on this path and hope to serve as a model for other small island states in development, especially in the Caribbean. This award reinforces our commitment to creating a future where information is freely accessible  to all, and we are sincerely grateful for this support.”

Fotocollectie Hochstuhl, potret # 305 (1950-1960). From Coleccion Aruba: https://archive.org/details/ANA-DIG-HOCHSTUHL-305

Mrs. Ray-anne Hernandez, Managing Director UNOCA (A funding agency that cofinances Art & Cultural Projects in Aruba): “We are incredibly honored and grateful to receive the Hero Award from the Internet Archive. This recognition celebrates not only our commitment to preserving and sharing Aruba’s rich history and cultural heritage but also the invaluable collaboration with the founding partners of Coleccion Aruba: the Library of Aruba and the National Archives of Aruba. Together, we have worked passionately to make our collective history accessible to the world, and this achievement wouldn’t have been possible without the support and contributions of our many partners, both big and small. This award inspires us to continue our work with even more dedication, striving to conserve and promote Aruba’s national heritage for future generations. We are driven by our shared passion for culture and history, and we look forward to further collaborations that will continue to enrich our community and beyond. Thank you again for this prestigious recognition.”

Join Us in Celebrating

Aruba will officially receive the 2024 Internet Archive Hero Award at the Internet Archive’s annual celebration on October 23, 2024, in San Francisco. The event, themed “Escaping the Memory Hole,” will focus on the role of libraries and archives in preserving cultural history in the face of vanishing media. We invite you to join Aruba’s representatives and the institutions behind Coleccion Aruba for this special occasion as we celebrate this remarkable achievement and the global importance of preserving knowledge. Register now for the virtual celebration.

Having Fun in the Sun at Aruba (Postcard, ca. 1963) Sugar-white beaches at the Caribbean’s newest vacation playground. From Coleccion Aruba: https://archive.org/details/BNA-DIG-POSTCARDS-026-004

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