Tolstoy`s library nominated for UNESCO Memory of the World Register

The personal library of Russian writer and philosopher Leo Tolstoy has been included on the list of over 80 of this year`s nominees for the Memory of the World Register List of the United Nations culture agency.

UNESCO launched the Memory of the World Register in 1995 in order to preserve and promote to valuable archives and library collections from around the world through digitization.

An International Advisory Committee of 14 experts working on the program will be reviewing the 80 nominees in Manchester, UK, from 22 to 25 May. After their decision is made, the inscriptions will be submitted to Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General. Her endorsement will give the green light to the chosen archives to supplement the other 193 items on the register.

Eight of these 193 reside in Russia. These include the famous Khitrovo Gospel, known by eight miniatures and ornaments by Andrei Rublev and artists from his oeuvre; a collection of playing cards of the times Russian Empire of the 18th century; a collection of posters of the late 19th-early 20th centuries and many other documents.

Apart from Tolstoy`s library collections nominated for inscription this year feature various cultural items including the Ben Cao Gang Mu, the most complete compendium of traditional Chinese medicine and Iran`s oldest book on mathematics and astrology.

Current items on the Memory of the World Register range from the 1927 German expressionist cinema masterpiece Metropolis to the 14th-century Korean Zen Buddhism book Jikji, made in Cheongju in 1377 - the world?s oldest known book to have been printed using movable metal type.

sections: Culture