On Friday, 21 February, ICCROM Director-General Ms Aruna Francesca Maria Gujral had the honour of welcoming the extraordinary and plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Principality of Monaco to Rome, H.E. Ms Anne Eastwood, accompanied by Ms Christelle Revel, Second Secretary and Deputy Permanent Representative to the FAO.
The visit provided an opportunity to discuss the ongoing collaboration between the Principality of Monaco and ICCROM in support of global capacity development initiatives aimed at safeguarding cultural heritage from disasters, climate-related challenges, and emergencies. Through targeted training, the partnership also works to strengthen resilience and promote sustainable development, as well as social cohesion worldwide.
Since 2015, Monaco has been a valued partner in ICCROM’s flagship First Aid and Resilience for Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis (FAR) programme. This collaboration has supported the creation of key resources, including the First Aid Handbook and Toolkit—available in 16 languages—and other tools such as INSIGHT, The Climate-Culture Story, and PATH. These resources are critical in safeguarding cultural heritage and promoting its use for disaster and climate resilience efforts in risk-prone regions.
ICCROM has been working in various countries across Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia, collaborating closely with local heritage professionals and cultural custodians to conduct comprehensive risk assessments and strengthen prevention and preparedness to protect all forms of heritage, ensuring long-term resilience.
Most recently, joint efforts have focused on activities in Ukraine, where professionals received training to update and apply a cultural heritage risk map initially developed with the support of the U.S. Department of State.
We thank the Ambassador for the visit and look forward to continuing this collaboration, which reflects a shared commitment to safeguarding cultural heritage and enhancing resilience for communities worldwide.
