World Audio Visual Heritage day on Oct 27

ISLAMABAD, Oct 25 (APP): World Audio Visual Heritage day will be observed on October 27 across the globe to highlight the value of Audio Visual documents, such as films, radio and television programmes, audio and video recordings, that contain the primary records of the
20th and 21st centuries.
The UNESCO General Conference in 2005 approved the commemoration of a World Day for Audiovisual Heritage as a mechanism to raise general awareness of the need for urgent measures to be taken and to acknowledge the importance of audio visual documents as an integral part of national identity.
Transcending language and cultural boundaries, appealing immediately to the eye and the ear, to the literate and illiterate, audiovisual documents have transformed society by becoming a permanent complement to
the traditional written record.
However, they are extremely vulnerable and it is estimated that there is no more than 10 to 15 years to transfer audio visual records to digital to prevent their loss. Much of the world’s audio visual heritage has already been irrevocably lost through neglect, destruction,decay and the lack of resources, skills, and structures, thus impoverishing the memory of mankind. Much more will be lost if stronger  and concerted international action is not taken.
To celebrate the day, Silk Road Centre and National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage, Lok Virsa will hold a Heritage Photo Contest here on October 27 to unveil the cultural value of water in Pakistan by the camera of heritage lovers on the theme of Water Carriers.
The Photo Contest is dedicated to highlight the value of water in everyday culture and celebrate the role that water carriers are playing to deliver water to millions of families across Pakistan.
The Contest is inspired by water as an essential element of culture and heritage. Life started and flourished in and around water. Access to water was the most important factor in the location of the earliest human settlements and growth of ancient cities, said Silk Road Centre’s Executive Director Dr. Ijlal Hussain while talking to APP.
The contestants from across Pakistan were invited to visually document the water carriers while fetching, carrying or delivering water in everyday life. Only the original photographic works showing the water carriers along with their water containers such as clay pots, water skin bags, buckets, plastic bottles, cans, canisters etc., in a real life setting were accepted for the competition.
After the submission deadline, 33 of over 100 pictures submitted were shortlisted for final evaluation on the basis of creativity,photographic quality, genuineness of the content and photo caption.