Watch this video to learn more about how the First Aid and Resilience for Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis (FAR) programme of ICCROM integrates culture into the wider programmes for disaster risk reduction, peacebuilding, humanitarian aid and climate action.
Protecting cultural heritage in complex emergencies is extremely challenging; yet amidst turmoil and anguish, the affected communities strive to protect their cultural heritage, as it provides hope, a connection with the past, and a sense of identity.
First Aid and Resilience for Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis (FAR) is a flagship programme of ICCROM, which trains, builds knowledge, creates networks, increases awareness and informs policy with an overall aim to identify the root causes of conflicts and disasters, and reduce risks by minimising vulnerabilities and increasing capacities.
Based on 10 years of extensive training, field experience, community-based approach and interdisciplinary collaboration with professionals worldwide, FAR has trained more than 1000 cultural first aiders, strengthening national capacities for disaster risk reduction and recovery of tangible and intangible heritage during and after complex emergencies.
This video is a glimpse into FAR’s journey in providing multi-hazard scenario-based training and in-field application, responding to climate change-induced disasters, advocating for heritage for peacebuilding, responding to COVID-19, as well as developing capacities for Member States in times of crisis.
Since its inception, FAR, in collaboration with its growing network of 123 partners, has reached over 115 countries, supported 73 field projects, provided advisory services in 13 countries in times of crises, as well as created seven self-help tools and eight open-access publications. Bridging knowledge gaps and breaking language barriers, FAR offers its tools and resources in over 13 languages.
In order to provide technical advice and in-crisis training, FAR joined hands with the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine and the Heritage Rescue Emergency Initiative (HERI) to organize a workshop to co-develop a damage and risk assessment methodology for heritage sites. HERI is an initiative founded by a FAR alumnus and director of the Maidan Museum, Ihor Poshyvailo.
Ihor and his team of experts are now translating tools such as Endangered Heritage: Emergency Evacuation of Heritage Collections, First Aid to Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis – Handbook and Toolkit for safeguarding heritage in Ukraine.
FAR emphasizes cooperation and coordination with mainstream disaster risk reduction, climate science and emergency response actors. It is actively identifying areas of joint programming between culture and humanitarian sectors to promote early recovery and resilience.