On March 24, 2023, WAM/The National Archives and Library announced a project in collaboration with Piql and Melara ME to convert and securely preserve original data for over 2,000 years. This project aims to use the latest technological solutions in data preservation to store multimedia content securely against piracy or manipulation. The Piql technology enables the organizations to save documents, videos, photos, and audio clips in their original form on specialized films for future retrieval. The project will help the Archive and the National Library expand its position as a center of excellence in digital preservation and long-term data preservation. The Director of the Archives Department, Hamad Abdullah Al-Mutairi, stated that this partnership reflects the richness of the archive and National Library, enabling them to benefit from world-leading technology. CEO of Piql International, René Bjerk Strand, expressed hopes for a long and fruitful partnership, while Youshua Khader, General Manager of Melara ME, affirmed his company’s commitment to developing strategic relationships with international and local partners.
Friday, March 24, 2023 – 3:46 PM
Abu Dhabi. On March 24, WAM / The National Archives and Library launched a project to convert and preserve the original, permanent and secure data for long periods of time, up to more than 2000 years, in cooperation with the international companies Piql and Melara ME.
The Archives and the National Library work to transform information and securely preserve it for future generations, using the latest solutions reached by information technologies in the field of data preservation, with Emirati expertise at all local, regional and international levels.
This project is a continuation of the stage of converting traditional documents into digital and preserving them in accordance with the highest international standards, best practices and technologies, with a sustainable, highly accurate process against attempts at piracy, manipulation and erasing, and gives multimedia a long life of more than two thousand years, which enhances confidence in the ability to retrieve the original data in the future.
Piql technology is unique in that it will enable the Archives and the National Library to save information – of all kinds, whether historical documents, videos, photos or audio clips – in their original form on special films that can be easily retrieved in the future, so that generations can benefit from them and trust the content that will reach them since centuries ago.
This project will enable the archive and the national library to transfer and preserve data, and will expand its position as a regional center and a center of excellence, transfer of expertise, research and development in the field of digital preservation and long-term data preservation, in addition to the ability to learn from the standards, experiences and aspirations of institutions in the field of archiving.
Hamad Abdullah Al-Mutairi, Director of the Archives Department, said that this cooperation reflects the richness of the archives and the National Library. This project will enable us to benefit from world-leading technologies.
For his part, René Bjerk Strand, CEO of Piql International, commended this new partnership and said that we are looking forward to a long and fruitful partnership, while preserving the rich memory of the UAE and the region.
Youshua Khader, General Manager of Melara ME, expressed the company’s pride in the confidence of the archive management, the National Library and Piql, and affirmed the company’s commitment to developing the strategic relationship with international and local partners.
Zakaria Mohieldin / Reem Al-Hajry
In conclusion, the National Archives and Library of Abu Dhabi have launched a groundbreaking project to preserve data for over 2000 years in collaboration with Piql and Melara ME. This innovative technology will ensure that historical documents, videos, photos, and audio are securely preserved in their original form on special films that can be easily retrieved in the future. This project reinforces the Archives and National Library’s position as a regional center of excellence in digital preservation and long-term data preservation. We can rest assured that future generations will benefit from this preservation project, and we commend the Emirati expertise at all levels.