From March 14 to May 15, 2023, the ICA Secretariat issued a call for nominations to the Fellows Nominations Committee, appointed by the President of the ICA and composed of five members: Sarah Tyacke (United Kingdom), Nolda Römer Kenepa (Curaçao), Simon Chu (Hong Kong), and Ian E. Wilson (Canada), with Carlos Serrano Vásquez (ICA) ex officio.
This year, the Committee received thirteen excellent nominations. According to the ICA Internal Regulations of 2021, the ICA General Assembly may appoint a maximum of four Fellows at the Abu Dhabi Congress this year. Therefore, after a four-week long process of consultations and serious reflection undertaken between June 16 and July 12, 2023, the Committee unanimously recommended the following four individuals for appointment as Fellows of the ICA.
From left to right: Dr. Abdulla Alraisi (United Arab Emirates), Papa Momar Diop (Senegal), Dr. Anna Leonor Szlejcher (Argentina) and David Fricker (Australia).
Dr. Abdulla Alraisi, United Arab Emirates
Over the past two decades, The ICA has benefitted from the dedication of Dr. Abdulla Alraisi. While advancing and earning national and international respect for the archives program of the United Arab Emirates, he has served the ICA as President of ARBICA, and then joined the ICA Executive Board in the unique position of vice-president responsible for marketing and fund-raising. His efforts made possible the initial development and realization of Access to Memory (AtoM) software program, adopted by over 1000 archives around the globe. He has been the thoughtful host of CITRA in 2005, the ICA Congress in 2020, now 2023, and of several other major influential meetings.
Appointed by the Director General of UNESCO as Chairperson of the International Advisory Committee for the Memory of the World Programme, he launched a comprehensive review and renewal of the programme. As one UNESCO ambassador observed: “His deft handling of the sensitivities and diplomacy across the UNESCO community has served to enhance the value that UNESCO Member States now place on documentary heritage.”
The United Arab Emirates has generously supported archival development through the ICA and in many countries thanks in very large measure to the energy, commitment and engaging personality of Dr. Abdulla Alraisi.
Papa Momar Diop, Senegal
Honoured both in Senegal and in France, Papa Diop began as an archivist fifty years ago, advancing to become Director of the National Archives of Senegal. As a university professor and author of many publications dealing with aspects of the archival endeavour, he has helped train a new generation of archivists. Through his involvement with WARBICA and his clear belief in the importance of the record, he has led archival development both in Senegal and across West Africa.
M. Diop’s international influence broadened globally in 2008 when he was appointed as his country’s ambassador to UNESCO. His advice to the ICA on strategy and his active engagement were vital in advancing and securing UNESCO approval for the foundational Universal Declaration on Archives (2011). The impact of this powerful assertion of the role of archives in society is still being felt as our colleagues draw inspiration and support from it.
M. Diop has since served as a vice-president of UNESCO’s International Advisory Committee on the Memory of the World Programme, helping maintain its credibility. UNESCO also appointed him to the International Commission for Peace Research of the Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize. On the international stage, his actions and his professionalism have demonstrated the fundamental importance of archives to international understanding.
David Fricker, Australia
David Fricker has provided dynamic and collaborative leadership to the ICA for the past decade. With his leadership team, he guided the organization through the process of adopting a new strategic plan. He championed the Africa program giving substance to this commitment with the 2018 annual meeting in Yaoundé. The following year he hosted the annual meeting in Adelaide leading up to the ICA/NAA Indigenous Matters Summit and with adoption of the Tandanya-Adelaide Declaration encouraging archives to engage with aboriginal views of history and preservation of memory. As well, he oversaw the expansion of the New Professionals and the Training programs and actively encouraged various initiatives within PARBICA. He has been effective in dealing with UNESCO, taking an active role in the Memory of the World Program and in PERSIST while making ICA’s voice heard on international issues affecting record keeping. Throughout, Mr. Fricker led the National Archives of Australia in dealing with major facility, funding and controversial legal issues.
In brief, and as one of his colleagues summarized: “David has been a transformational leader for ICA, …serving with verve, intelligence and great vision. Under his leadership, the ICA has become more inclusive, effective and influential”.
Dr. Anna Leonor Szlejcher, Argentina
Dr. Anna Szlejcher’s contribution to the International Council on Archives has been significant and has had a great impact on the sector, and specially on Latin American archives. It is important to highlight her active participation as a member of the Steering Committee of the ICA Section for Archival Education and Training from 2004 to 2008 and her leadership as the first elected non-English speaking Secretary of that Committee from 2008 to 2016.
For more than forty years Dr. Szlejcher has taught at the National University of Córdoba as a professor of archival studies and document management, teaching numerous specialized postgraduate courses. She has also been a Professor at the Inter-American Center for Archival Development (CIDA) (1974-1988) based at the National University of Córdoba developed under the auspices of the Organization of American States (OAS).
Dr. Szlejcher has also served three terms as elected Director of the School of Archival Science of the Faculty of Philosophy and Humanities of the University of Córdoba (1998-2002 and 2008-2010). She was a titular advisor representing the faculty of the Council of the School of Archival Science of the National University of Córdoba (2002-2004). Her collaboration with the ICA has continued with her active participation in the Latin American Association of Archives (ALA) and as General Coordinator of the Diploma in Archival Science, Records Management and Archives Administration offered by the Ibero-American Network of University Archival Education (GE RIBEAU ALA) since 2021. She is a valued and influential colleague.
Congratulations to our new fellows!