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Every four years, the International Council on Archives (ICA) organises a Congress, in association with the local institutions of the bidder selected to act as Congress host. Congresses are the major events for ICA in that the first few days are the opportunity to hold a series of governance meetings, and the rest of the week is devoted to Congress talks, sessions, workshops and meetings, all on the basis of a professional programme drawn up by the Congress Programme Committee.
Congresses usually attract well over 1,000 archives and records management professionals. These events afford the occasion for members of this professional community to get to know each other and connect with academics and practitioners, to encourage debate and strengthen international ties. In addition, they are a unique opportunity to directly link archive and record management professionals with their counterparts in related private sectors, including those of AI applications, data management, digitisation, digital preservation, electronic archive and digital repositories, document management and processing, among many others.
Abu Dhabi 2023
Seoul 2016
Archives constitute the memory of nations and societies, shape their identity, and are a cornerstone of the information society. By providing evidence of actions and transactions, archives support administration and underlie the rights of individuals, organisations and states. By guaranteeing citizens’ rights of access to official information and to knowledge of their history, archives are fundamental to identity, democracy, accountability and good governance.
In recognition of these fundamental values of archives, the International Council on Archives (ICA) is dedicated to promote the efficient and effective management and use of records, archives and data in all formats and its preservation as the cultural and evidentiary heritage of humanity, through international cooperation, by the sharing of professional experiences, research and ideas on the management and organisation of archives and archival institutions.
The Department of Culture has the competence to coordinate the Archives System of Catalonia and draw up its regulations, direct the National Archives of Catalonia and the Network of Regional Archives of Catalonia; coordinate the central administrative archives of the Generalitat and promote and coordinate their actions, promote the action of the National Council of Archives and Document Management and the National Commission for Document Access, Evaluation and Selection. The Department of Culture establishes programs of archival performance and document management and inspect compliance with the regulations on archives and document management.
Within the framework of its functions, the Department of Culture is implementing the 2030 Records Management and Archives Plan, which has been prepared with the participation of all Catalan professionals. The archives of Catalonia preserve the heritage and memory of the country and are a key element of the digital administration, open data and transparency. They contribute to knowledge, participate in research, carry out cultural and educational activities and fully open their documentary collections to citizens.
The Diputació de Barcelona (Barcelona Provincial Council) is a local government institution that promotes the progress and well-being of the citizens of the 311 municipalities in the province of Barcelona. It acts directly and provides services in cooperation with these municipalities.
The Cultural Heritage Office (OPC) is part of the Culture Area of the Barcelona Provincial Council. It is a service that works for the cultural rights of all citizens, specializing in the promotion of local cultural heritage through its protection, study, conservation and dissemination.
The Municipal Archives Network (XAM) is one of the programs of the OPC. It offers support, assistance and cooperation to municipal archives, through technical resources (advice, assistance, resource sharing and archival and document management services), financial and material. In municipalities with up to 10,000 inhabitants, the XAM provides direct support through a team of itinerant archivists.
The Subdirectorate General of the Spanish State Archives is the unit under the Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Fine Arts of the Ministry of Culture of Spain responsible for the management of the network of archives and centres dependent on the Ministry of Culture. Its mission is to develop, direct, and coordinate all actions aimed at the custody, conservation, and dissemination of the Spanish documentary heritage. Its functions are the following:
Management of the state-owned and managed archives assigned to the Ministry of Culture (9 institutions).
Creation, provision, and promotion of state-owned archives.
Advising on state-owned archives attached to other ministries.
Coordination of the Spanish Archive System.
Encouraging the preservation of its documentary heritage, its promotion and national and international dissemination.
Planning, development, and maintenance of the Central Archive of the Ministry of Culture.
The Association of Professionals of Archives and Records Management of Catalonia (AAC) was founded in 1985. Its mission is to enhance the work and the figure of archive professionals and ensure the legitimate defence of their labour rights. It currently has 858 associates and associates.
One of the aims of the AAC is to collaborate with all those institutions and organizations, both national and international, that have competences in archival matters. It is within this framework that the involvement in the organization of the International Archives Congress: ICA Barcelona 2025 is established.
Josée Kirps, Co-Chair, President of the International Council on Archives.
Joaquim Borràs Gómez, Co-Chair, General Director of Cultural Heritage at the Department of Culture of the Government of Catalonia.
Meg Philips, Vice-President Programme of the International Council on Archives.
Ana Pazos Fernández, Chief Archivist of Barcelona City Council.
Carlos Serrano Vásquez, Executive Director of the International Council on Archives.
Aurèlia Cabot Mota, Head of the Cultural Heritage Office of the Provincial Council of Barcelona.
Ana López Cuadrado, Deputy Director General of the Spanish State Archives.
Enric Cobo Barri, Head of the Coordination Service of the Regional Archives Network at the Department of Culture of the Generalitat of Catalonia.
Gustavo Castañer Marquardt, Vice-president Finance of the International Council on Archives.
Francesc Giménez Martín, President of the Professional Association of Archivists and Records Managers of Catalonia.
Carlos Serrano Vásquez, Co-Chair, Executive Director of the International Council on Archives.
Enric Cobo Barri, Co-Chair, Head of the Coordination Service of the Regional Archives Network of Catalonia at the Department of Culture of the Generalitat of Catalonia.
Cristina Díaz Martínez, Head of the Institutional Relations Area of the Spanish State Archives.
Sandra Ponce Lozano, Head of the Centres Coordination Department of Barcelona City Council.
Jaume-Enric Zamora Escala, Head of Unit of the Network of Municipal Archives of the Office of Cultural Heritage, Culture Area of the Provincial Council of Barcelona.
Marianne Deraze, Programmes Manager at the International Council on Archives.
Clémence Alméras, Website and Information Technologies Coordinator at the International Council on Archives.
Meg Phillips, Co-Chair, ICA Vice-President Programme, External Affairs Liaison at US National Archives and Records Administration.
Ramon Alberch i Fugueras, Co-Chair, ICA Fellow, co-founder and former president of the non-governmental organisation Archivists without Borders.
Joan Boadas i Raset, ICA Fellow, Emmett Leahy Awardee 2022.
Montserrat Canela Garayoa, Chair of the ICA Section on International Organisations (SIO).
Javier Requejo Zalama, Subdirector, Archivo de la Real Chancillería de Valladolid.
José Ramón Cruz Mundet, Professor and Director of the Archival Sciences Master, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.
Adama Koné, Head of the Library and Archives Department at the National Assembly of Cote d’Ivoire.
Sharon Alexander-Gooding, President of the ICA Fund for the International Development of Archives (FIDA).
Saman Quraishi, Archivist, CEPT Archives, ICA New Professionals Programme Alumni.
Hapiza Binti Osman, Secretary General of the ICA Southeast Asia Regional Branch (SARBICA), Head of Electronic Records Section of the National Archives of Malaysia.
Maria Paula Garcia Mosquera, Co-Chair, Head of Communication and Partnerships of the International Council on Archives.
Carina Garcia Mesegué, Co-Chair, Head of Communications at the Archives Directorate of Barcelona City Council.
Clémence Alméras, Website and Information Technologies Coordinator of the International Council on Archives.
Sara Tobal Galán, Senior technician of the Subdirectorate General of Archives and Records Management at the Department of Culture of the Generalitat of Catalonia.
Patrícia Eslava Català, Senior cultural technician for communication issues at the Cultural Heritage Office, Culture Area, Barcelona Provincial Council.
Alba Villar Gómez, Head of Communications of the Spanish State Archives.
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