The two-day Executive Body Meeting of the Heads of Archives of the South and West Asian Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (SWARBICA) was inaugurated by Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister for Tourism and Culture, Government of India, on 20th February 2025, at the India International Centre, Max Mueller Marg, New Delhi.
The event was hosted by the National Archives of India. Representatives from the National Archives of Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka attended both the inaugural and business sessions. The National Archives of Pakistan participated online, while the National Archives of Iran could not attend due to visa issues.
The Chief Guest emphasized the shared cultural and religious heritage of SWARBICA member countries and underscored the importance of exchange programs, training in digital preservation, and archival conservation to strengthen collaboration.
Shri Arun Singhal, Director General, National Archives of India, and Treasurer of SWARBICA, delivered a comprehensive presentation on the digitization of archival records undertaken by the National Archives of India.
This SWARBICA meeting was convened after a gap of eight years, following the last meeting held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in 2017. In addition to the Executive Body Meeting, the National Archives of India will host a seminar titled "Using AI for Digital Preservation in Archives" on 21st February 2025.
The seminar will explore the role of AI in digital preservation, highlighting its significance and applications. Experts from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and SAMHiTA (International Research Division, India International Centre, New Delhi) will participate as resource persons.
The South and West Asian Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (SWARBICA) is an international umbrella organization for archival institutions. It provides a platform for archivists across the region to collaborate, strengthen professional relations, and enhance archival preservation.
The idea to establish SWARBICA was conceived in 1973 at an Executive Committee Meeting of the International Council on Archives in Brussels, Belgium. It was officially formed on 11th December 1976 in a ceremonial event at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.