An exhibition by the Notaries of Europe
What do the will of Queen Isabel la Católica, the awarding of the George Cross to the Maltese nation and the renunciation document signed by Archduchess Marie-Antoinette on the crowns belonging to the House of Austria have in common? The notarial act.
For centuries, notaries have been privileged witnesses to history. Their notarial acts contain real treasures that reveal a story, an event or a social fact. From wills to contracts of sale, from marriage contracts to company formations, the words, images and accounts contained in these documents never cease to reveal unique moments in life.
In the digital age, these written records do not disappear, they change form. Today, a significant part of our lives – and of our patrimony – exists in the digital world. This includes, for example, our presence on social media, the data we store in the cloud and virtual currencies. Managing these elements – from their preservation to their transmission – raises unprecedented challenges in terms of traceability, security and continuity.
Transmission remains a universal, deeply human act that deserves to be fully protected and secured legally—both now and in the future. The exhibition ‘Ink to cloud’ traces the continuity of notaries’ mission: to preserve memories, guarantee legal certainty and ensure that the will of each individual is upheld over time, whatever the medium through which they are expressed.