Sri Lanka National Archives

30/08/2026

Are you a digital native, film buff or preservation enthusiast?

WE HAVE VACANCIES: NATIONAL ARCHIVES ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (3 posts)

If you have an interest in digital archives, film archives or archival preservation and you’re passionate about preserving evidence, information and history for current and future generations, you'll enjoy a career as an archivist at the Department of National Archives.

For the required qualifications and recruitment procedure, see Gazette No. 2504 dated 28.08.2026. Log into https://lnkd.in/eXkZcUrR to download the call for applications, application form and scheme of recruitment.

Closing date: 25.09.2026

Salary: Your starting salary will be Rs. 82,150.00 and you will be entitled to other allowances paid to public officers from time to time.

The post is permanent and you will be eligible for a pension on retirement subject to changing policies on the payment of pensions.

As an executive officer at the Sri Lanka National Archives, you will directly contribute to our vision of safeguarding national identity, accountability and memory by systematically managing the creation, collection preservation and accessibility of public and private archives and records.

Contribute to developing the evidential and informational landscape of Sri Lanka by joining the National Archives!

JOIN US TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Director General National Archives
No. 7, Philip Gunawardena Mawatha (Reid Avenue), Colombo 07.

04/08/2026

In Memoriam

It is with deep sorrow that we note the passing of Mr. G.P.S.H. de Silva, former Director of the National Archives.

Mr. de Silva joined the National Archives, then the Department of Government Archivist, in 1960, after completing his degree in History at the University of Peradeniya in 1958. He went on to earn a Postgraduate Diploma in Archives Administration from the University of London in 1965, and was appointed Director of the National Archives in 1983. He retired from the post in 1990, and continued to lend his expertise to the National Archives in various capacities.

His work shaped archives and records management practice in Sri Lanka for decades to come and he represnted Sri Lanka at numerous international archival forums and authored several publications on history and archives administration. He also served as the first Secretary General of the SWARBICA (South West Asian Regional Branch) of International Council on Archives - ICA and a member of the Executive Council of ICA. In recognition of his contributions, he was awarded Honorary Membership of the ICA.

We extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. His legacy of service to Sri Lanka's archival heritage will not be forgotten.

03/07/2026

16/06/2026

It's our 125th anniversary next year!

Share your stories with us here: http://bit.ly/slna125

16/06/2026

It's our 125th anniversary next year!

Share your stories with us here: http://bit.ly/slna125

09/06/2026

Today is International Archives Day!

Following the damage to public records as a result of , the theme of for this year's International Archives Week could not feel more relevant to Sri Lanka right now.

Watch recording of International Council on Archives - ICA/FAN webinar held on 8 June with a talk by the Director General National Archives Dr Nadeera Rupesinghe and the National Archivists of Ukraine and the United Kingdom here:

This webinar, War, Typhoons, Cyberattacks – Protecting Archives for...

04/06/2026

A specialised course in records management commenced at the University of Colombo in May 2026. This is a significant moment for building an archives and records management (ARM) profession in the country. Drawing on the insights and experiences of the course designers and lecturers, this talk considers the potential impact the course may have for advancing accountability and transparency in the public sector.

REGISTER: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/KkCp2-j7QGOpqshHVq5Avg

SPEAKERS

Dr. Nadeera Rupesinghe, Director General, Sri Lanka National Archives

Prof. Ruwan Gamage, Director, National Institute of Library and Information Science, University of Colombo
NV Nugawela, Archivist and Records Manager

29/05/2026

Thank you to UNESCO New Delhi Office and Dr Cristina Menagazzi for invaluable assistance in compiling the submissions for the PDNA!

When the floods recede, records remain — or they don't.

The Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) for 2025, published this month by the Government of Sri Lanka, makes something clear that archivists have long understood: public records are not administrative paperwork. They are the infrastructure of justice, rights, and memory.

The PDNA explicitly recognises that water damage to court records in the Central Province represents "one of the most consequential governance effects from the cyclone, with implications that extend well beyond the immediate cost of physical repair" (See under Governance Sector, p. 54-61).

When struck in November 2025, the Sri Lanka National Archives was called upon to lead emergency interventions — freezing, transporting, and beginning the restoration of flood-damaged court records to prevent permanent loss from mould. This was not a routine preservation exercise. It was emergency triage for irreplaceable evidence.

The PDNA identifies why this matters so profoundly:
🔹 The affected records are evidence for ongoing and future legal proceedings
🔹 They support property transactions worth millions of rupees
🔹 They protect citizen rights to property, inheritance, family status, and access to justice
🔹 They document over 150 years of social, economic, and legal development in the Central Province
🔹 Their loss cannot be captured in any monetary figure — the value "archives, legal documents, and historical records... cannot be adequately captured in monetary terms" (p. 61).

We commend the Government of Sri Lanka, UNDP Sri Lanka, the Disaster Management Centre, and all other PDNA partners for recognising the archives and records management sector within this national recovery framework. We remain committed to leading the conservation and long-term preservation of the affected records, and to working with public sector institutions to prevent such losses in future disasters.

United Nations Development Programme - UNDP Sri Lanka congratulates the Government of Sri Lanka on the completion of the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment ( ) for -a major milestone for a coordinated, evidence-based recovery.

The PDNA, mandated under the “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” Presidential Task Force, consolidates findings on damages, losses, and recovery needs across 22 severely impacted districts, helping align recovery planning, prioritisation, and resource mobilisation. UNDP is proud to have supported the overall technical coordination for this Government-led process alongside partners.

READ MORE: https://bit.ly/PDNA2026

United Nations Sri Lanka ADB Philippines World Bank Group European Union in Sri Lanka and the Maldives Asian Disaster Preparedness Center - ADPC

25/05/2026

Join the webinar on War, Typhoons, Cyberattacks – Protecting Archives for Justice, organised under International Council on Archives - ICA’s Forum of Archival Networks (FAN) that will take place on Monday, 8 June 2026 at 19:00 (Sri Lanka time) as a part of

Register here: https://www.ica.org/event/iaw2026-fan-webinar-war-typhoons-cyberattacks-protecting-archives-for-justice/

The session will be chaired by Maximilian Scriwanek, member of the ICA/FAN Steering Committee, and features contributions from Dr. Nadeera Rupesinghe (Sri Lanka National Archives), Anatolii Khromov (State Archival Service of Ukraine), and Saul Nassé (The National Archives, UK).

Nadeera Rupesinghe will speak on “When Floods Wash Away Justice: Disaster Recovery and the Rule of Law in Sri Lanka”
When Cyclone Ditwah struck Sri Lanka in November 2025, it damaged approximately 175,000 court records spanning 150 years—case files, legal precedents, land deeds, and vital records essential for property rights, ongoing litigation, and access to justice. The immediate disaster lasted days; the impact on justice delivery will last years. This presentation examines the emergency response of the Sri Lanka National Archives, including the establishment of a Records Recovery Centre, coordination of international technical assistance, training of conservation personnel, and implementation of treatment protocols for contaminated legal records. It explores the intersection of archival practice and human rights, demonstrating how the protection of the information regime in a state is fundamental to the rule of law, administrative continuity, and access to justice by citizens. The case study highlights climate change as an archival emergency, the crucial role of disaster preparedness in vulnerable regions, and the necessity for international solidarity in safeguarding documentary evidence that underpins legal systems and democratic governance.