The World Digital Preservation Day theme this year asks the question ‘Why Preserve?’ and prompts the global community to share powerful motivations and reasons for preserving digital materials with the rest of the world.
Launched alongside the iPRES 2025 conference in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand today, the campaign aims to inspire action through powerful, practical and relatable messages which can be used to help organisations and individuals advocate for digital preservation within their own contexts.
“As a community we understand that digital preservation matters for many reasons - and those reasons vary across sectors, regions, and communities,” explains Sarah Middleton, Chief Community Officer for the Digital Preservation Coalition, which convenes World Digital Preservation Day.
“But if we can frame the reasons WHY we preserve in a way that is more broadly relatable, we hope we can inspire greater support and action!”
Some of the powerful responses to Why Preserve? already shared by the digital preservation community include:
- …Because in a world of misinformation, digital preservation protects the integrity of our records, research, and history.
- …Because digital preservation ensures that the stories, cultures, and knowledge of today remain accessible for generations to come.
- …Because preserving digital records is essential for compliance, accountability, and transparency in every sector.
- …Because when systems fail or staff change, preserved digital assets ensure your organisation retains its memory—and its momentum.
- …Because digital preservation bridges generations and geographies, making knowledge and culture accessible to all.
- …Because data loss is costly. Preservation is a proactive strategy to mitigate risk and protect value.
- …Because digital preservation is about sustainability, adaptability and long-term thinking—not just storage.
Watch the Why Preserve? Video
Everyone is invited to take part in World Digital Preservation Day and to share their Why Preserves:
-
Share your own “Why Preserve?” – Visit our virtual wall and submit your message.
-
Join the conversation online – Post your reflections, videos, crafts, artworks or messages on social media using #WDPD2025 and #WhyPreserve.
-
Encourage your organization – Use the campaign messages to help colleagues understand why digital preservation matters.
Whether through a sentence, a video, a stitched message, or a social post, your contribution helps amplify the importance of digital preservation worldwide. Let’s make this a global conversation.
Happy World Digital Preservation Day 2025!