St Lucia has a new accolade under its belt now that a collection by Nobel Laureate, the late Sir William Arthur Lewis has been inscribed on the International Memory of the World Register.

A collection entitled, “The Sir William Arthur Papers,” proposed by the national Archives Authority of St Lucia, in conjunction with the Mudd Library of Princeton University was among 35 nominations inscribed on the International Memory of the World Register for 2009 by Director General of UNESCO, Koichiro Matsuura on recommendation of the International Advisory Council. This brings to one hundred and ninety-three the number of inscriptions on the International Memory of the World Register since 1997.

Margot Thomas, St Lucia’s national archivist says the papers are significant because they document Sir Arthur’s life.

“These are some of the papers he generated during the course of his life. They show us what he did when he was in Africa, the highlight the time when he was Pro Vice Chancellor at the University of the West Indies, they document his entire career,” she said. “The collection is significant to us as a country because they are Sir Arthur’s thoughts, they are also a reflection of his life and there’s also a lot of correspondence from those persons with whom he had a close working relationship.”

The memory of the World Program, which UNESCO established in 1992, is similar to the World Sites program. Whereas the World Heritage Sites program concentrates on inscribing tangible heritage, the Memory of the World Register highlights the documentary heritage of the world and makes it available to as many people as possible. The program also seeks to raise awareness in member states of their documentary heritage, in particular the aspects of the heritage, which have world significance.

The Sir William Arthur collection was donated to Princeton University’s Mudd Library by Sir Arthur’s widow, Lady Gladys in the early 1990’s and had been lodged there since then. Margot Thomas said an agreement had been arrived at for St Lucia to put forward the papers; that’s where the National Archives in St Lucia came in.

“We are happy to note that the collection was accepted by the International Advisory Committee and the director general of UNESCO and St Luca was given the privilege of having the inscription under its name,” said Thomas.

Eleven nominations from the Latin American and the Caribbean region were inscribed including the Federal Archives Fond and Dame Nita Barrow Collection from Barbados and the First Catechism written in Papiamentu from Curacao. Other successful inscriptions were the Anne Frank Diaries and the Royal Archives of Madagascar.

“The inscription means that St Lucia is now recognized as an island with individuals of international stature whose papers can be placed on that register. The register says the papers are considered to be of international recognition. These
papers are important to the
world and should be preserved
for the world to use. It’s an honour
for us.”