Archives of COVID-19: UP Recollections and Reflections

The global COVID-19 pandemic brought swift and profound changes to South Africa, including the University of Pretoria. The University of Pretoria Archives documented the institution's response, collecting official announcements and responses while also recognizing the need to preserve personal perspectives. Under the leadership of Prof Karen Harris, the UP Archives launched three competitions over three years. The first competition, launched in 2020, was the #UPStaySafe photographic competition. The second was launched in 2021, “Recollecting Covid-19: 365 days in lockdown”, and included a range of essays, photographs and poetry. The third competition was launched in 2022 to capture the reflections of students and staff on the theme “Loss, pause and hope”. The collection captured here serves to preserve the COVID-19 experience and serves as a tribute to those who have faced adversity during these challenging times.