Italy has officially put forward two candidates for inclusion in UNESCO’s “Memory of the World” program: the Treccani Encyclopedia and its historical archive, as well as the Iguvine Tablets preserved in the city of Gubbio.
Although separated by more than two thousand years, the two nominations reflect different but equally important sides of the country’s cultural identity. The Treccani Institute, which turns one hundred this year, holds over a million documents, including manuscripts, editorial drafts, correspondence and rare photographs. Together, they trace the development of academic and cultural knowledge in modern Italy.
The Iguvine Tablets tell a much older story. Engraved on seven bronze plates between the third and first century BC, they represent the longest surviving text written in the ancient Umbrian language. The inscriptions describe religious rituals, public ceremonies, and legal practices from a pre-Roman civilization once rooted in central Italy.
The application process has been conducted by Italy’s UNESCO office in cooperation with the national commission. A final decision is expected in the coming months.