On 19 September, on the margins of the G7 Culture Ministerial in Naples, Italy, the Director-General of the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) Aruna Francesca Maria Gujral and Acting Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Lee Satterfield signed a grant agreement for $1 million grant through the U.S. State Department’s Ukraine Cultural Heritage Response Initiative.
“Today, we celebrate the united commitment of the U.S. government, ICCROM, the Ukrainian government, and most importantly, the people of Ukraine,” said Director-General Gujral. “Their resilience, endurance and commitment alongside the contributions of local institutions and dedicated heritage experts on the ground, inspires us all.”
The ceremony in Naples was hosted by the U.S. Consul General in Naples Tracy Roberts-Pounds and attended by the Ukrainian Consul General in Naples, Maksym Kovalenko, and the U.S. Ambassador to the UN Agencies in Rome, Jeffrey Prescott.
“This additional grant, one of the largest ever, creates a powerful opportunity to accelerate the emergency response and recovery work ICCROM is doing in Ukraine. The partnership between the U.S., ICCROM, and Ukraine is a vital part of the effort to preserve Ukraine's cultural identity and historical heritage, and the U.S. looks forward to continuing our strong support for ICCROM and its mandate of preserving cultural heritage around the world.” said Ambassador Prescott.
This new funding is part of a broader $10.5 million U.S. commitment through the Ukraine Cultural Heritage Response Initiative. The project will establish a national framework for risk reduction and emergency management, improving coordination among heritage custodians, government agencies, and local authorities. It builds on the success of the first phase of the project initiated in 2023, for which ICCROM received nearly $250,000 through the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP).
In collaboration with Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communication, ICCROM will implement strategies to safeguard and restore endangered heritage sites, engaging local communities in preservation efforts. This $1 million contribution is the second-largest grant awarded under the Ukraine Cultural Heritage Response Initiative, reaffirming U.S. commitment to global cultural preservation and its continued support for Ukrainians whose lives have been shattered by the war.
Through its flagship programme on First Aid and Resilience for Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis (FAR), ICCROM will work closely with the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications and partners on the ground, including the Agency for Cultural Resilience (ACURE) and Maidan Museum, to develop and the integrated national framework for risk reduction and emergency management of heritage.
For media inquiries, please ICCROM Communications (communications@iccrom.org).
About the Ukraine Cultural Heritage Response Initiative
Through its Ukraine Cultural Heritage Response Initiative, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) committed $10.5 to support Ukraine in its efforts to protect cultural heritage. Implemented by ECA’s Cultural Heritage Center and the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv in coordination with Ukrainian NGOs and international partners, the Initiative supports Ukraine’s efforts to protect and repair damage to Ukrainian cultural heritage sites and collections, as well as expand and strengthen public-private partnerships with civil society in Ukraine. The Initiative builds on more than 20 years of U.S. engagement on cultural heritage protection and preservation work with the Government of Ukraine through the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP). To learn more about U.S. efforts to preserve and protect cultural heritage around the world, click here.
About ICCROM
ICCROM – the International Center for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property – is a Rome-based multilateral organization that builds member states’ capacity to protect cultural heritage from threats posed by conflict, climate change, mass tourism, and urbanization. To learn more, visit www.iccrom.org and follow @ICCROM on Twitter and Facebook and @ICCROM_Official on Instagram.
About the U.S. Mission to the UN Agencies in Rome
The U.S. Mission to the UN Agencies in Rome works with the UN food and agriculture organizations to fight global hunger and promote sustainable development. In addition, the U.S. Mission represents the U.S. Government to three other international organizations in Rome — the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), and the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT), and ICCROM — to strengthen the rule of law, access to justice, and the conservation of cultural heritage. To learn more, follow @USUNRome on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and visit usunrome.usmission.gov.