The Director General of the Center for National Documents and Records Agency D. Nelson Bearngar has underscored training in archival science as a crucial component for the transformation and advancement of the Liberian National Archives.
The Archive’s boss made the statement on Friday, March 14, 2025, during an appreciation/gowning ceremony for a three-member delegation from Harvard University.
According to him, developing a skilled workforce is vital not just for the CNDRA but for the growth of the Country.
The Director General of the Center for National Documents and Records Agency (CNDRA), Bearngar who hailed the visiting Harvard delegation to the CNDRA also called for a strengthen collaboration between the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Foundation and Harvard University to enhance human resource capacity building within Liberia’s National Archives.
He believes that forming such a partnership can significantly benefit the agency and promote its development program.
As part of said drive, He disclosed the Ministry of Justice official permission granting the agency the authority to retain all presidential documents from former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, thereby expanding the agency’s role in preserving the nation’s history.
Meanwhile, The visiting delegation, which includes Jennifer Pelose, head of archival projects at Harvard University Archives; Virginia Hunt, director of Harvard University Archives; and Riain Ross-Hager, project archivist from the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Foundation, expressed their gratitude for the warm reception from the CNDRA.
Lucia Massalee Yallah, archivist, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Center, lauded the Center for National Documents and Records Agency for being very cooperative and collaborative over the past four years.
Among other things, She told reporters that their mission focuses on digitizing records from Sirleaf’s twelve-year presidency.
During their visit, the delegation toured key facilities within the CNDRA, including the Digital Scanning Center, the Repository, and sections dedicated to legal instruments and public records.
Their efforts she pointed out aim to enhance the archival practices within Liberia and ensure the preservation of historical documents for future generations.