AWA welcomes Nobel Prize winner Wisława Szymborska

The Arctic World Archive (AWA) has now officially welcomed the work of Nobel Prize winner, Wisława Szymborska (Poland), to its growing collection of world memory. The ceremony was originally planned for 8 April, but was delayed due to the pandemic and travel restrictions in Norway. 

Set 300 metres inside an arctic mountain, treasures stored here are designed to last into the distant future, on a longevity tested future-proof medium. 

Now locked in the dark, cold vault, the collection will last over 1000 years, with no electricity required, as an authentic copy of her valuable work.

The deposit, commissioned by the by the Wisława Szymborska Foundation and financed by Znak Publishing, is the second deposit of a Nobel Prize laureate, following the deposit of Olga Tokarczuk last year. Wisława Szymborska was a Polish poet, essayist, translator and recipient of the 1996 Nobel Prize in Literature, for “poetry that with ironic precision allows the historical and biological context to come to light in fragments of human reality”. 

Her iconic collection of poetry, letters and other written works have been stored on a future proof digital medium, designed to last for at least 1000 years in the secure vault. Her works now sit alongside other global treasures such as ancient manuscripts, heritage motion pictures, modern and classic masterpieces, among many others. 

“I think she would have liked it very much, it is remarkable that her poetry will be found next to the constitutions of many countries and the greatest digitized works of art in the world,” said Michał Rusinek, the president of the Wislawa Szymborska Foundation. 

AWA is currently welcoming deposits of global memory with a depositing ceremony for all contributors to be held in September.