New Zealand’s
ongoing efforts to 'digitalise' its documented history paved the way for its capital
city to win the International Conference on Digital Presentation.
The iPRES
21st International Conference on Digital Presentation will take place in 2025
at Tākina, Wellington’s new Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Wellington is home to the National Library of New Zealand Te
Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa – the institution leading the conference bid – as well as
Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, with whom the National Library
shares a digital preservation programme.
The National Library has a specific
focus on collecting, preserving, and making accessible the documentary heritage
of New Zealand, in every format including digital.
This
expertise in digital preservation and the National Library’s history of
engagement with the international digital preservation community was a factor
in the city winning the conference.
iPRES is
the oldest international conference focused on long-term digital preservation.
The annual event brings hundreds of researchers and practitioners from all over
the world to discuss the latest research and practice for protecting and making
accessible digital collections.
Andrea
Goethals, programme director at the National Library of New Zealand said: “By
hosting iPRES in Wellington we can highlight our digital preservation
activities in New Zealand while showing our commitment to being part of the
international effort to protect our global digital heritage.
The bid for
the event was supported by Business Events Wellington and Tourism New Zealand’s
Business Events team.
Tourism New
Zealand’s general manager for New Zealand & Business Events Bjoern
Spreitzer added: “This is an excellent win, attracting international delegates
to Wellington and bringing valuable knowledge to assist with the ongoing
preservation of New Zealand’s digital heritage.”
The win is
just the latest in a series of wins for Tākina, which is on track to open
mid-2023. The purpose-built venue will be able to accommodate a plenary of up
to 1,600 delegates, alongside exhibition space and stand-alone meeting rooms.
Other
recently awarded conferences for Tākina include: The Early Childhood Council
Conference in 2023, the Federated Farmers’ Primary Industries Summit &
Awards in 2023, and The Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases’ Annual
Scientific Meeting in 2024.
A desire to travel led Holly Patrick to the business meetings and events world and she’s never looked back. Holly takes a particular interest in event sustainability and creating a diverse and inclusive industry. When she’s not working, she can be found rolling skating along Brighton seafront listening to an eclectic playlist, featuring the likes of Patti Smith, Sean Paul, and Arooj Aftab.
