Each year, the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage brings together archives, institutions, and preservation professionals from around the globe to honour their collective efforts in safeguarding our shared audiovisual history. This year’s theme, inspired by UNESCO and the Coordinating Council of Audiovisual Archives Associations (CCAAA), invites us to Discover, Share, and Remember the importance of audiovisual heritage — the moving images and recorded sounds that carry our collective memory into the future.
Discover: Unlocking the Stories of the South African Antarctic Experience. Within the Antarctic Legacy of South Africa (ALSA) digital repository lies a unique audiovisual collection that captures over many decades of South Africa’s involvement in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. From the earliest South African National Antarctic Expeditions (SANAE) to present-day scientific missions, these recordings preserve voices of explorers, researchers, and support staff who have contributed to understanding one of Earth’s most remote environments.Each photograph digitized, each interview recorded, and each film restored by ALSA represents a voyage of discovery — not only into the icy landscapes of Antarctica, but also into the enduring human spirit of curiosity and collaboration that drives polar science.
Share: Connecting the Past with the Present through Digital Access. Digital technology has transformed the way we preserve and share history. Through its online digital repository, ALSA ensures that the rich audiovisual record of South Africa’s Antarctic heritage is freely accessible to researchers, educators, students, and the public. By sharing these collections through digital platforms and social media, ALSA extends the reach of South Africa’s polar story far beyond its original audience — linking the past to present-day global conversations about science, heritage, and environmental stewardship.
Remember: Safeguarding Our Shared Audiovisual Memory. Audiovisual archives are vital to remembering who we are and where we come from. They capture not only scientific achievements but also human stories — the laughter in the mess hall at SANAE, the hum of generators during long polar nights, and the voices of those who braved isolation in the name of discovery.
As we celebrate World Day for Audiovisual Heritage, ALSA reaffirms its commitment to preserving, protecting, and promoting this unique collection. Through continued digitisation and documentation, the project ensures that these irreplaceable materials remain part of South Africa’s scientific and cultural memory for generations to come.
Join Us in Celebrating: On this day, we honour the often unseen work of archivists, researchers, and heritage professionals who make preservation possible. ALSA invites everyone to explore the digital repository, discover the incredible stories behind South Africa’s Antarctic expeditions, and share in the legacy that connects us all to the icy continent.
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Discover. Share. Remember.
Preserving the past to inspire the future — that is the mission of the Antarctic Legacy of South Africa.