The Sierra Leone Public Archives (SLPA), in partnership with Walk With Web, has officially launched its first website in a historic step toward expanding digital access to the nation’s archival heritage. The ceremony took place at the University Committee Room, Fourah Bay College (University of Sierra Leone), underscoring the importance of bridging historical preservation with digital innovation.
The event was attended by Walk With Web CEO, Kartikay Chadha, Director and Senior Government Archivist, Albert Moore, and his team, alongside senior government officials and representatives from ministries, departments, and agencies. Mr. Ibrahim S. Kamara, Director of Corporate Strategy & Administration at the Human Resource Management Office (HRMO), served as the most senior civil servant present and officially launched the website on behalf of the Government and People of Sierra Leone.
Representatives from the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation, the Office of the President, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs, and the Sierra Leone Library Board were also present. The launch further brought together senior academics, librarians, information management professionals, and final-year students from the Department of Information Studies and Knowledge Management (DISKM) at Fourah Bay College, highlighting the collaborative effort to advance archival and digital infrastructure.
Speaking at the ceremony, officials emphasized that the new website will serve as a platform to safeguard and digitize Sierra Leone’s rich documentary heritage while making it more accessible to researchers, educators, and the public. “This milestone is a testament to Sierra Leone’s enduring commitment to preserving its history while shaping a more accessible digital future,” said Albert Moore, Director of the SLPA.
The website project benefited from strong international collaboration. Academic partners included York University, the University of Worcester, and King’s College London, whose scholars led British Library Endangered Archives Programme (EAP) projects to digitize fragile documents. Canadian institutions such as the University of Waterloo’s DRAGEN Lab and Trent University’s REACH Studio also contributed technical expertise. Training workshops, including one supported by Susquehanna University in the U.S., equipped Sierra Leonean students and professionals with skills in archival management and digital stewardship.
Financial and academic support came from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), the Harriet Tubman Institute for Research on Africa and its Diasporas at York University, and the University of Worcester’s Department of History.
The launch of the SLPA website, supported by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education and the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation, marks a new chapter in Sierra Leone’s archival preservation efforts. It ensures that valuable historical records — government documents, maps, photographs, and private papers — are not only safeguarded but made available globally through modern digital platforms.
“This initiative shows what is possible when local expertise and global collaboration meet,” said Kartikay Chadha, CEO of Walk With Web. “It is about more than technology — it’s about empowering Sierra Leoneans to connect with their past and use it to build their future.”
