His speech, titled “Out of the Box, Into the World”, was an inspiring address to the entire archival community and contained rich imagery and powerful examples. His call to action still resonates today: “The possibilities are endless when you bring the archives out of the box and into the world.”

In his speech, Tutu drew primarily on the experiences of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission and, to a lesser extent, those of the post-Second World War Nuremburg Nazi war criminal trials, in order to demonstrate that “records are crucial to hold us accountable”, and are “indispensable as deterrents against a repetition of this ghastliness and they are a powerful incentive for us to say, ‘Never again’. They are a potent bulwark against human rights violations. We must remember our past so that we do not repeat it.”