In 2018, ICCROM began a new cycle of strategic directions to guide our work over the next five years. Following the directions of our Council, our strategy is to focus on global concerns for cultural heritage, to create a diverse and inclusive global network, and to strengthen ICCROM for the future.

This report provides an overview of our 2018 activities. These efforts have fortified the resilience of cultural heritage in the face of protracted conflicts, disasters and climate change. They have improved the conservation practice of heritage by recognizing the interlinkages of nature and culture through people centred approaches. They have helped establish cultural heritage as a driver for sustainable development in the Arab and other world regions, and much more besides. These Flagship Programmes of ICCROM have set the basis of the new Programme of Work and Budget for the next biennium, 2020–2021.

The organization has clearly shifted its direction towards multidisciplinary programmes that reach out to new audiences such as local governments, environmentalists, humanitarians, development specialists and youth. Partnerships are at the core of our programmatic approach. They enable us to address systemic challenges and focus more effectively on specific regional issues.

ICCROM takes this programmatic approach in each of our four key areas of work: training, knowledge exchange, cooperation and advocacy. We understand that capacity building takes place in many different shapes and forms, and that it should target different audiences to achieve maximum results. Therefore, we interweave our activities organically under thematic and regional programmes. Diverse training activities, production of knowledge resources and content, and implementing outreach and networking methods aimed at connecting people and heritage are all intended to complement each other. Our programmes explore new knowledge and information gaps within a theme; develop and provide resource materials, including methodologies, self-help guidance and easy-to-use tools; and share these resources through courses, workshops and fora. While stand-alone activities are still present in ICCROM’s work, including university partnerships and field projects, they all serve as part of this larger vision.