Address

Mr Wang Gang
Director General of the State Archives Bureau

Ladies and gentlemen, dear colleagues,

The Inaugural Conference of EASTICA is open today in Beijing, China. This is a historically significant occasion for the archival community of East Asia. And I am particularly pleased that Mr Kecskemeti, Secretary General of ICA is present at the Conference. The establishment of EASTICA is of great significance for the exchange and cooperation among archival services and archivists in East Asian countries and for the prosperity and development of archival endeavour in this region. Therefore on behalf of the State Archives Bureau and the Central Archives, I’d like to extend warm congratulations on the establishment of EASTICA, and to express our heartfelt welcome to Mr Kecskemeti and representatives from East Asian countries and territories for sharing your time together with us in Beijing to discuss the future archival development in the region.

As early as 1984, on the occasion of the Second Regional Coordinating Committee Meeting of the Guide to the sources of Asian History held in Islamabad, Pakistan, Mr Kecskemeti talked to the Chinese delegates about the setting up of EASTICA. With the social and economic development, as well as the scientific and technological advance, international and regional archival cooperation and exchange has become more and more necessary and important. It was in this connection the State Archives Bureau of China formally made the proposal of establishing EASTICA at the ICA Executive Committee Meeting held in the spring of 1992. Also during the 1992 Montreal Congress, entrusted by the Executive Committee of ICA we asked the delegates of Japan, Republic of Korea and Macao to discuss the possibility and feasibility of establishing EASTICA. ICA Secretary General Mr Kecskemeti was also present at the meeting. After the Congress the State Archives Bureau is entrusted by ICA to contact Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Mongolia and Hong Kong in this respect. The active preparatory work started immediately after we had got their positive answers. Today, all of us have seen the achievement of our common efforts. Owing to the concern for and encouragement of ICA and Mr Kescskemeti and to the enthusiastic support and active participation of all of you present, EASTICA can be smoothly established.

East Asia is the birthplace of the world's oriental civilization, which is regarded as a bright pearl in the cultural treasure house of the world. It plays a very important role in the evolution of human history. The archives and historical documents preserved by us are precious cultural heritage of mankind and an important component of the "world memory". The establishment of EASTICA will inevitably benefit the safe preservation and widely public use of this part of cultural heritage. There are both common and different characteristics in the archival work of different countries. We archivists should learn from each other as well as make individual effort according to respective conditions. Only by this way can archival profession be developed continuously.

Over the past 20 years, economy and high technology have a rapid development in East Asian region. We are now in the 'information age', which has put archivists with a new task of preserving electronic records and serving the modern information society.

The establishment of EASTICA will contribute to the contacts and cooperation of this region with ICA and its other regional branches. I'm convinced that the operations of EASTICA will lead to a more active exchange and cooperation of archival work and a deeper friendship among archivists in East Asian region. This is in the interest and desire of all of us.

Finally, I wish the Conference a complete success and wish everyone have a pleasant stay in Beijing.

Thank you.