UIA and the Rockefeller Archive Center – a very significant partnership

Being in existence since 1907, it is evident that the UIA had very extensive print archives, occupying a great deal of space. Until recently the archives were difficult to access and research because of space limitations at the UIA headquarters in the Maison des Associations Internationales in Bruxelles.

UIA has entered into a most productive partnership with the Rockefeller Archive Center (RAC) based in Sleepy Hollow, an hour north of New York City and central to an immense Rockefeller estate. The RAC is a professionally-world-class archive treatment and storage institution. As a result of an agreement signed between UIA and RAC, 92 boxes of UIA archives were screened in Bruxelles by four RAC staff and shipped to RAC in May 2025.

Being in New York in October 2025, I was courteously and generously hosted by RAC for an ‘inspection tour’ of the RAC and of course particularly the vaults now housing the UIA archives. I have personally long advocated with NGOs/Associations to pay far more attention to preserving their archives, which are contributions to a fuller understanding of world history, international relations and human endeavour – but are too often neglected in the hustle and bustle of daily work.

On my visit to RAC I was highly impressed by the competence and attentiveness (and I must add friendliness) of the RAC staff. The UIA archives of course only occupy a small fraction of the temperature-controlled RAC vaults, but everywhere there was evidence of the professional care accorded to storage, labelling and accessibility. The following UIA categories are already catalogued and open to researchers: UIA Yearbooks 1948-2025; materials from UIA co-founder Henri La Fontaine; UIA journals 1969-2003. More information via ‘Union of International Associations records’.

A small personal addition. The RAC staff were so kind as to research in advance my personal history in NGO/Association life, and presented me with documentation dating back to the 1960s recording correspondence between my first employer, World University Service, and the Ford Foundation which financed a large WUS Algerian-student scholarship programme, of which I was the manager. RAC staff also laid out for my enlightenment documents relating to the construction of the UN Headquarters in New York City, made possible by an initial generous Rockefeller donation.

My deep appreciation to the RAC Director Robert Clark and all his colleagues. UIA’s archives are in very good hands.