Aruba to Receive 2024 Internet Archive Hero Award for Groundbreaking Digital Heritage Initiatives

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Leopold Tromp, age 18, native Aruban, Apprentice on Pressure Still operation (#4525, Lago, Aruba, April-May 1944). From Coleccion Aruba: https://archive.org/details/BNA-DIG-LAG ... -001-04525
In a world where digital access to knowledge is increasingly vital, the island nation of Aruba has taken bold steps to ensure its cultural heritage is preserved and accessible for generations to come. We are thrilled to announce that Aruba will be honored with the 2024 Internet Archive Hero Award at our annual celebration on October 23 in San Francisco and online.

The Internet Archive Hero Award is presented annually to individuals, organizations, or nations that have shown exceptional leadership in expanding access to knowledge and supporting the digital preservation of cultural color correction historical materials. Recipients of the award exemplify the values of openness, accessibility, and collaboration that are essential to a free and informed global society. Previous recipients have included librarian and copyright expert Michelle Wu, public access advocate Carl Malamud, the Biodiversity Heritage Library, and the Grateful Dead.

Aruba’s Commitment to Preservation and Access
Aruba’s commitment to preserving its history and culture through digital initiatives has been nothing short of visionary. Earlier this year, the nation launched Coleccion Aruba, a digital heritage portal that provides free global access to its historical materials and cultural treasures. The initiative ensures that Aruba’s rich history—its documents, artifacts, and stories—are accessible to the world, helping to safeguard its national identity in the digital age. You can learn more about the launch of this groundbreaking collection here.


From left: Mrs. Astrid Britten, Director of the National Library Aruba; Mr. Raymond Hernandez, Director National Archives of Aruba; and Brewster Kahle, Internet Archive, at the signing of the Statement Protecting Digital Rights of Memory Institutions, April 9, 2024.
In another historic first, Aruba became the first country to officially endorse the Statement Protecting Digital Rights of Memory Institutions, recognizing the importance of libraries, archives, and museums in preserving digital cultural heritage. By supporting this statement, Aruba set a powerful precedent for nations worldwide to protect the digital rights of libraries and memory institutions. You can read more about Aruba’s leadership in this area here.

Brewster Kahle, founder of the Internet Archive, praised Aruba’s commitment to the digital preservation of cultural heritage, describing the nation’s efforts as “a beacon of hope in the global movement to safeguard history in the digital era.” In his reflections on Aruba’s leadership, Brewster wrote that “Aruba’s bold support of library digital rights shows what is possible when nations value not just their own history, but the global importance of memory institutions. Their commitment sends a strong message: culture, knowledge, and history belong to everyone.”