"In 'Open Archives', we want to make hidden heritage visible, invisible heritage, preserve it and disseminate it, making it available to all citizens", explained Marc Aguilar, working member of the BitLab cooperative . Last Thursday, December 4, in the afternoon, at the Pati Manning in Barcelona, a meeting was organized to review, rethink and reflect on the figure of archives. "Everyone knows the traditional archives, those that are official, those that are institutional, but there is another type of archives, more informal archives. Collectives, groups and associations have organized themselves over time to carry out this same task of preserving collective memory, but from their neighborhoods and from their perspectives", said Aguilar.
"Traditionally, we have preserved a very white, very masculine official gaze, which makes a large part of stories and experiences invisible and leaves them on the margins. Community archives collect all these experiences without making distinctions", added Aguilar. Promoted by the BitLab cooperative, with the collaboration of the Barcelona Provincial Council, the 'Open Archives' initiative defends the perception that archives are living spaces of shared memory, creativity and citizen participation and, therefore, must be accessible, open and managed in a collaborative way. "At this point, the digital layer is a multiplier to be able to carry out this task of preserving collective memory and fulfill this double mission: to make known and empower everyone so that they can do their own reflection around all this identity that makes up the elements of archives", stated Aguilar. The meeting shared knowledge, socialized learning and grouped experiences from Catalonia, the Basque Country and Madrid. "The objective is to see how community archives here and there support each other and strengthen the beautiful work we carry out throughout the territory," concluded Aguilar.