Magna Carta Awarded Memory of the World Status
The four surviving copies of the 1215 Magna Carta have been awarded ‘Memory of the World’ status by UNESCO, in recognition of their outstanding universal value. With their Inscription on the Memory of the World Register, the documents, held by the British Library, Salisbury Cathedral and Lincoln Cathedral, join the ranks of some of the world’s most significant documentary heritage.
The UNESCO Memory of the World International Register is a catalogue of documentary heritage of global significance and outstanding universal value – akin to a World Heritage Site list for documents and archives. The International Register is the public face of UNESCO’s Memory of the World programme, which promotes access to the world’s archive holdings and library collections, as well as their preservation.
The inscription covers the four surviving copies of the version of Magna Carta forced on King John by the Barons of England at Runnymede in June 1215. Magna Carta is a charter which, for the first time, detailed written constraints on royal authority in the fields of church rights, taxation, feudal rights and justice. It has become an icon for freedom and democracy throughout the world.
On 30 July, the Director-General of UNESCO, Mr Koïchiro Matsuura, approved the inscription following a recommendation by the 14-member International Advisory Committee of UNESCO’s Memory of the World programme.
Magna Carta is the fourth Memory of the World inscription from the UK. It joins the 1916 film about The Battle of the Somme (inscribed in 2005); The Appeal of 18 June 1940 by Gen. de Gaulle calling the French people to arms and made in the BBC studios in London (joint nomination with France, inscribed in 2005); and the Mappa Mundi held at Hereford Cathedral (inscribed in 2007). By receiving Memory of the World status, Magna Carta joins a list of exceptional documents which includes the likes of the pre-Colombian Aztec Codices in Mexico, the Korean Jikji (the earliest surviving book printed using metal type) and Gutenberg’s Bible printed in Göttingen, Germany. Following this most recent round of inscriptions, there are 193 items on the International Register.
The four surviving copies of 1215 Magna Carta are a unique testament to the world’s rich documentary heritage. It is exactly these types of documents that the Memory of the World Register seeks to help preserve and promote access to.”
David Dawson, Chair of the UK Memory of the World Committee
Written: 30/07/2009 , last modified: 30/07/2009
The copy of 1215 Magna Carta on public display at Salisbury Cathedral © Salisbury Cathedral 
One of the copies of 1215 Magna Carta held by the British Library © The British Library Board 
Lincoln Cathedral, where one of the four copies of 1215 Magna Carta is on public display