On 1 December 2022, we were honoured to receive Matthew D. Steinhelfer, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, and Nick O’Neill, Deputy Director (Acting) Western Hemisphere and European Affairs, from the US Department of State Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations; and Sam Rothenberg, Alternate Permanent Representative and Political/Economic Officer, from the US Mission to the United Nations Agencies in Rome.
The delegation met with Joseph King, Senior Director; Jennifer Copithorne, Unit Manager, Partnership and Communication; and Aparna Tandon, Senior Programme Leader, First Aid and Resilience for Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis and Sustaining Digital Heritage Programmes.
We discussed the importance of ensuring shared access to data regarding at-risk and damaged cultural heritage in Ukraine and other conflict areas with the Conflict Observatory. How ICCROM and the US Department of State, as well as other US cultural institutions, could enhance cooperation to leverage cultural heritage protection for addressing the climate crisis and fostering social cohesion and resilience featured prominently in this discussion.
We thank the delegation for the constructive meeting and look forward to continuing our work with the United States in promoting our shared vision of cultural heritage as a positive tool for societies to build back better.