ICCROM and UNESCO’s handbook to save heritage collections in emergencies is now available for free download in Arabic, English, French, Georgian, Japanese, Nepali and Russian.
Armed conflicts and natural disasters causing deliberate or collateral damage to cultural heritage are more prominent than ever. To help strengthen efforts to save collections from imminent threats, ICCROM and UNESCO joined forces last year to produce Endangered Heritage: Emergency Evacuation of Heritage Collections, a practical handbook available for free.
This publication was widely received by readers worldwide, and efforts are now underway by several partner institutions to make it available in a variety of languages.
ICCROM very much encourages these initiatives, and we are pleased to be building up our offer of literature in languages otherwise underrepresented, particularly Japanese, Russian, Georgian and Nepali.
About the handbook
Built upon years of experience and real-life situations, this publication offers a field-tested, simple workflow for the emergency evacuation of valuable objects. A multi-purpose guide, it is created with a variety of users in mind, with simple language and layout intended for heritage personnel, emergency responders and civilians alike. It offers guidance on when and how to intervene to protect endangered heritage, its illustrations and charts helping readers to understand quickly and begin working. In crisis situations already underway, it is a fast and easy read that covers the emergency documentation of collections, safe transport and temporary storage.
“The easy and adaptable workflow in this handbook makes it an important tool for all cultural heritage institutions. User friendly diagrams make this a truly unique publication as it streamlines the evacuation process while maintaining professional standards” - Rebecca Kennedy, Preservation Specialist and Emergency Responder
Download them here
Arabic
English
French
Georgian
Japanese
Nepali
Russian
We wish to thank the many partners who made the translation of these manuals possible, namely: the Kyoto National Museum, National Institutes for Cultural Heritage of Japan, Russian Committee of ICOM, Georgian National Committee of the Blue Shield, Egyptian Heritage Rescue Foundation, UNESCO, UNESCO Office in Kathmandu.
Keep watch for the Farsi, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Turkish versions coming in 2019!