20 November 2024. Keywords: TAROCH Coalition

Wikimedia Australia is proud to announce its membership in the TAROCH Coalition, a global alliance dedicated to preserving, sharing and advocating for cultural heritage. By joining, we reaffirm our commitment to empowering communities to access, co-design, and contribute to celebrating and protecting cultural heritage. Wikimedia projects, including Wikimedia Commons, play a vital role in hosting and making public domain cultural heritage content accessible to all.  

The TAROCH Coalition, which stands for "Towards A Recommendation On Cultural Heritage," unites organisations and individuals passionate about humanity's diverse heritage. Its goal is to achieve the adoption of a UNESCO Recommendation on Open Cultural Heritage by 2029. This legal instrument will promote open solutions to remove barriers to accessing cultural heritage in the public domain, while respecting governance frameworks from local regions.

Joining the TAROCH Coalition aligns with our mission to empower communities across Australia and the wider ESEAP region to share knowledge and build connections across cultures. Wikimedia Australia can play a key role in international dialogue and be part of a national agenda advocating for the removal of barriers and the adoption of open access policies in and for the cultural heritage sector.

Through this partnership, Wikimedia Australia will:  

• Support Coalition Goals: Advocate for a UNESCO Recommendation that recognises the essential role of cultural heritage in identity, education, and global understanding while addressing local and regional needs.
• Champion Open Knowledge: Promote free and accessible information for all, ensuring cultural heritage is responsibly and ethically documented and shared.  
• Collaborate with Stakeholders: Partner with cultural institutions, community leaders, and like-minded organisations to amplify and protect underrepresented voices in heritage conversations.  

We are excited to join other Wikimedia affiliates – including Wikimedia Indonesia, Wikimedia UK, and Wikimedia Deutschland – alongside significant organisations such as Creative Commons, Flickr, Communia, and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA).

We look forward to contributing to the TAROCH Coalition's impactful work and invite our community and partners to support this vital initiative. Together, we can ensure cultural heritage remains accessible and celebrated for generations to come.  

Useful links:

• TAROCH Coalition launch - 1 November 2024
• TAROCH Coalition: Statement of Commitment
• Wikimania Poland 2024: TAROCH information session for Wikimedians
• Image: “ The Launch of Blanchard’s Balloon at The Hague in 1785 ” is marked with CC BY 1.0.