Strengthening cooperation between civil protection forces and heritage professionals, updating risk assessment frameworks, and launching dedicated fire mitigation projects for heritage—these are among the key outcomes of a recent workshop for Croatian professionals. Held from 1-5 February 2025, at ICCROM HQ, the training has already led to concrete actions at local, regional, and national levels, ensuring a coordinated approach to safeguarding and recovering cultural heritage before, during and after extreme events.
The workshop, organized under the EU-funded "Operational Forces of Civil Protection for the Protection of Cultural Heritage" project, brought together 14 professionals from diverse fields to improve cross-sectoral cooperation to protect heritage against disasters. Through practical exercises, tabletop simulations, and expert-led sessions, participants gained hands-on experience in disaster risk reduction for tangible and intangible heritage.
The training introduced practical tools for assessing disaster risks to cultural heritage and explored strategies for recovery following catastrophic events. Participants developed the skills and tools necessary to better understand risk management for heritage sites, buildings, collections, and living traditions. It also covered Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) development, emergency response coordination, and risk-informed decision-making. A key highlight was a session on temporary storage solutions and protecting collections in crises.
Post-Training Initiatives: Turning Knowledge into Action
Inspired by the training, participants Rene-Raymond Gulin and Toni Ivetić, both fire risk professionals, have launched a fire risk mapping initiative for cultural heritage sites in the Istrian Peninsula. Using ICCROM's First Aid and Resilience of Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis (FAR) methodologies, they aim to identify vulnerabilities and develop targeted fire prevention strategies for cultural heritage in Croatia.
Additionally, for the first time, Croatia's official national risk assessment framework will integrate ICCROM-FAR's Vulnerability and Capacity Analysis (VCA) forms. This effort, led by Ana Miličić, Head of the Civil Protection Department in Dubrovnik, marks a significant policy shift, embedding concerns for cultural heritage protection into Croatia's national disaster risk management frameworks.
Over 80 cultural institutions in Split-Dalmatian County are now part of a fire risk mitigation project, led by the Conservation Department and Public Fire Brigade in Trogir. Building on PREVENT – Mitigating Fire Risk for Heritage initiative (2021-2022) and the subsequent national course, this project demonstrates a scaled-up approach to coordinated fire risk mitigation strategies for cultural heritage sites.
ICCROM-FAR's Role in Policy Development and Capacity Building
By embedding concerns for heritage protection into the national disaster risk management framework and promoting multi-sectoral collaboration for emergency preparedness, response, and recovery at heritage sites, Croatia is setting a precedent in the EU for heritage-inclusive disaster risk management. This initiative is part of a collaborative effort between Croatia's Ministry of Interior Affairs and the Ministry of Culture and Media, with technical advice provided by ICCROM's FAR Programme in supporting the formalization of cooperation between civil protection forces and heritage professionals. ICCROM remains committed to offering technical expertise, post-training support, and knowledge-building opportunities to ensure these policy advancements translate into lasting resilience for cultural heritage.
Through these efforts, ICCROM also reaffirms its dedication to strengthening heritage resilience across its Member States, safeguarding cultural heritage for present and future generations, even in the face of extreme risks and disasters.
