UNESCO, the United Nations agency, has officially recognized a collection of documents from the slavery period, maintained by the Public Archive of the State of Bahia, as part of its 'Memory of the World' program, particularly in the Regional Register for Latin America and the Caribbean. This significant acknowledgment came on Friday, the 20th, marking a notable achievement for the archive.

The recognized collection includes a variety of passports belonging to enslaved individuals, freed people, and Africans from the years ranging between 1821 and 1889. Among the initiatives linked to this recognition, the 'Fragments of Memory' project, slated for 2025, aims to use artificial intelligence to recreate images and voices of the enslaved individuals referenced in these historical documents, emphasizing the rich cultural nuances of their lives, including details on clothing and ethnic markings.

This recognition by UNESCO is a landmark achievement for the Public Archive of the State of Bahia, as it is the first international title granted to this institution. The initiative not only elevates the historical significance of the collected documents but also represents a broader acknowledgment of the legacies of slavery in Brazil and their impact on current cultural and social contexts.