An Open Call to Preserve the Sounds of a Shared Past
A new initiative invites the public to take part in building a sound archive dedicated to preserving the rich and intimate history of voice correspondence in the UAE. Spanning the years 1970 to 2000, the project seeks personal cassette tapes filled with messages, stories, and exchanges between family members, friends and loved ones.
These tapes—often sent across borders—are powerful cultural artefacts that reflect migration histories, personal relationships, and the evolving dynamics of communication over time. By contributing, individuals have the opportunity to ensure that these audio memories are not lost, but instead preserved as part of a wider historical record.
Recordings are welcome in a wide range of languages spoken across the UAE, including Arabic, Hindi, Urdu, Malayalam, Tamil, Sinhala, Bengali, Nepali, Swahili, Tagalog, Farsi and English.
Those interested in submitting their tapes can do so before 8 May 2025. To take part in this important archival project, click here.
