The Preservation of Memory and the Management of Information as a Step towards Sustainable Development

Abstract

Sustainable development comprehends the balance between human activities and the environment. Today, more than ever, the need to act with respect for the environment and the urgency in recognizing that we belong to the planet, and not the other way around, have accelerated and generalized the demand for information about environmental sustainability, economic and social concerns, and the discussion about which Humanity should adopt paths to save the species. The United Nations 2030 Agenda recognizes access to information as a critical goal in the Sustainable Development Goal of promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels. In a global and inclusive society, people's access to information and the need to protect fundamental freedoms is necessarily the founding principle of the path to achieving global sustainability. The understanding of the world and society has always been founded on the study of the past, the knowledge of history, traditions, and memory. Only knowledge of memory allows us to know where we come from and to determine where we are going. Memory, which is nothing more than informational heritage, a generator agent of value and distinctive identity, is essential to create, distinguishing, and enriching socioeconomic activities based on the realities of the environment and local cultures towards socioeconomic and environmental sustainability and inclusion. In this paper, we intend to highlight the crucial role of information professionals in sustainable development, as they play unique and privileged roles in the preservation of people's identity and culture, as well as in the collection, research, processing, protection, promotion, enhancement, and transmission of information, which guarantee the viability of Humanity's cultural heritage and access to information as one of the goals of sustainable development.