On Sunday, March 4, 2018, the Archivo Manuel Álvarez Bravo received the certification of its inscription in the International Register of the UNESCO Memory of the World, at its highest level.
As a result, not only does don Manuel’s legacy continue to be celebrated worldwide, but also the work carried out over the last thirteen years by the organization bearing his name that safeguards his negatives, documents, and library.
For six years, the Archive received support, without which this work would not have been possible. In addition to various individuals, the following organizations have collaborated in cataloguing don Manuel’s negatives and documents:
private non-profit organizations such as ADABI de México and Fundación Televisa, as well as the Fototeca Nacional del INAH (National Institute of Anthropology and History), the Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas (Institute of Aesthetic Research) of the UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico), the Fondo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes (National Fund for Culture and the Arts), the Comisión de Cultura of the Cámara de Diputados (Culture Commission of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies).
The Manuel Álvarez Bravo archive is alive and dynamic; it is open for consultation to anyone who needs to study its collections both within and outside of Mexico.
We will do everything in our power to honor this recognition. We believe that with perseverance it is possible to reach our goals and we hope to be able to contribute to strengthening actions to preserve photographic archives in Mexico.