ICCROM's flagship programme, First Aid and Resilience for Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis (FAR) has been awarded a €1.5 million grant from the EU's Creative Europe Programme to support a critical mission: building resilience in cultural heritage across Europe and beyond. The grant will fund the READY – Safeguarding Cultural Heritage from Disasters, Extreme Weather Events, and Complex Emergencies project, a 38-month pan-European initiative that aims to strengthen capacities to protect cultural heritage and empower communities in the face of climate risks, disasters, and complex emergencies.
This groundbreaking project will span until October 2027 and aims to position cultural heritage protection as a core component of disaster risk management, ensuring that heritage sites and communities connected to them are safeguarded for future generations.
“I welcome our partnership with the EU to drive transformative changes in building climate and disaster resilience for heritage and communities across Europe and beyond,” said ICCROM’s Director-General Aruna Francesca Maria Gujral.
“Cultural heritage is a vital source of creativity, resilience, and social cohesion. By empowering communities and prioritizing cultural heritage in risk reduction strategies, we are building a more sustainable and resilient future for our people, our communities and our planet.”
“Our enhanced ICCROM-EU partnership is key to turn words into concrete action." Director-General Gujral added.
The EU is committed to support its Member States and neighbors to enhance the resilience of cultural heritage in the face of crises, such as natural disasters, conflicts, and climate change. We are very happy to team up with ICCROM to achieve this goal, building on the great experience we had with ICCROM in Ukraine, where they trained the very first team of cultural first aiders with support from the EU. The EU cultural heritage professionals look forward to benefitting from ICCROM's vast expertise and yearslong experience in this field, in order to make Europe's cultural heritage more resilient and safeguard it for generations to come.
Ms Catherine Magnant, Head of Unit, European Commission's Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture
This collaboration emphasizes early warning and early action, ensuring that heritage protection and community safety are strengthened in the face of evolving risks.
Cultural Heritage as a Driver for Sustainable Development
Cultural heritage, when included in disaster risk reduction, humanitarian aid, and climate action, becomes a powerful tool for sustainable development. The EU-supported READY project, led by ICCROM's FAR Programme, will enhance risk management strategies and capacity across European heritage institutions to protect both tangible and intangible cultural heritage. This inclusive project will involve cultural bearers and local communities, empowering them to become active participants in risk reduction, emergency preparedness and response.
Building Capacity and Knowledge Sharing for Effective Local Action
The READY project will include two in-person international courses on safeguarding movable, immovable, and intangible heritage. Each course will begin with online mentoring, followed by two weeks of immersive hands-on training. Participants will then implement field projects to enhance disaster risk management for cultural heritage and advocate for integrating heritage preservation within local and national disaster management and climate adaptation plans. These field projects will also capture and document local and traditional knowledge on disaster and climate resilience.
Towards the end of the project, a "training of trainers" session will foster a sustainable transfer of skills, creating a resilient network of trained risk managers and cultural first aiders across Europe. READY will conclude with an online conference and a post-project publication.
An Integrated Approach: Proactive Risk Management, Early Action, and Community-Centered Strategies
The READY project takes a proactive, community-centered approach, using open-source geospatial data and early warning systems to support informed decision-making and prompt action during crises. By involving communities directly in heritage protection, it strengthens social cohesion and leverages local knowledge in disaster risk management.
Cross-Sectoral and Multi-Disciplinary Collaboration
Designed to foster cross-sector collaboration, READY brings together a collaborative network of cultural heritage professionals, disaster risk specialists, emergency responders, and community leaders, to ensure coordinated and unified responses during emergencies. This multi-disciplinary approach strengthens resilience through partnership, ensuring heritage protection is prioritized alongside community safety.
Informing Policy and Practice Across Europe
Through showcasing good practices, READY will inform policy and strengthen disaster risk management plans for cultural heritage in participating countries, inspiring broader adoption of effective risk management strategies. An open call for participants will be shared through ICCROM and partner channels.
Join us in READY!
Become an Organizing Partner
Host one of our three regional training and provide a venue for hands-on learning.
Become a Technical Partner
Share knowledge, tools, good practices and case studies on risk reduction and recovery of heritage.
Become a Participating Country
Enhance national policy and legislation and incorporate disaster risk management of heritage and climate change adaptation in national plans.
Write to us at far_programme@iccrom.org
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