The Vila-real Municipal Archive commemorated International Archives Day today with an open day that sparked significant public interest among citizens. Approximately 60 people registered for the scheduled visits, with nearly twenty in the morning session and around 40 in the afternoon, to gain firsthand knowledge of the work carried out in this municipal service and discover some of the documentary treasures it holds.
For approximately two hours, Archive staff guided participants through the facilities, explaining the specifics of the Vila-real Municipal Archive, its functions, the challenges it faces, and the importance of preserving the city's collective memory. Attendees from the morning session had the opportunity to see, touch, and even smell some of the historical documents preserved in the municipal repositories.
The event includes visits to the two currently active exhibitions, a tour of the repositories housing Vila-real's documentary heritage, and a workshop identifying emblematic city locations from old photographs, an activity that tested participants' memory and fostered the exchange of recollections and experiences.
Furthermore, the Archive has brought to light historical documents, curiosities, and recent findings that continue to offer new perspectives on local history. In the morning session, municipal archivist Miguel Ramos detailed that the oldest document from Vila-real preserved in the Archive dates back to 1307 and corresponds to an appointment of water distributors (acequieros). Ramos also showed photographs from the late 19th and early 20th centuries; a film affected by vinegar syndrome, which gives off a peculiar odor; and some musical scores by Francesc Tàrrega. He also announced that the study and analysis of the documentary legacy related to the Vila-real-born guitarist is currently one of the Archive's main research projects, yielding results and findings of great interest.
The visits also provided a space for dialogue with the public, who could ask questions, obtain information, and learn closely about the technical work carried out daily to preserve, catalog, and disseminate the municipal documentary heritage. The event also included the participation of the councilor responsible for the Municipal Archive, Santi Cortells, who highlighted the importance of opening this service to the public.
“"The Archive preserves a fundamental part of our collective identity. Everything it holds helps us understand who we are, where we come from, and how Vila-real has evolved over the centuries."
Cortells also emphasized the educational value of initiatives like this.
“"It is important that the public knows the documentary heritage we preserve and the work the Archive does. The people who have participated in the visits today also become ambassadors for this heritage, helping to spread its value and raise awareness about the need to preserve it for future generations."
Through this activity, the Vila-real Municipal Archive joins the international commemoration of a day that vindicates the essential role of archives as guarantors of memory, transparency, citizens' rights, and the preservation of documentary heritage.
