Centuries-old Newa manuscripts brought online

Staff Reporter

MORE than 30 rare and endangered Newa manuscripts, dating back between 200 and 800 years, have been digitised and made openly accessible online through a UNESCO-supported project aimed at preserving Nepal’s documentary and cultural heritage for future generations.

The initiative was implemented by UNESCO in partnership with Archive Nepal, with support from the Government of Japan, under UNESCO’s Memory of the World Framework.

UNESCO has undertaken similar efforts in Namibia, where the National Archives of Namibia received digitisation equipment through the Memory of the World Programme in 2025 to help preserve and digitise fragile historical collections, including the Maharero Papers and other significant archival records. The initiative also included capacity-building and training to strengthen Namibia’s ability to preserve and provide access to its documentary heritage.

Photos: UNESCO representative Nepal, Jaco du Toit