First Aid and Resilience for Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis (FAR) Resources

Guidance Note on Urban Search and Rescue at Heritage Sites is designed to provide Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Teams, National Disaster Management Authorities (NDMA) and Local Emergency Management Authorities (LEMA), Cultural Ministries, Heritage Departments, and Authorities (CHA), and Cultural Heritage First Aiders (CFA) with procedures to follow when carrying out operations at heritage sites that become a special operational environment following a disaster.

ICCROM’s First Aid and Resilience for Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis Programme (FAR), in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine, Maidan Museum and Heritage Emergency Rescue Initiative (HERI), has trained on-the-ground teams to carry out systematic, on-site damage and risk assessments for all types of heritage, which is enabled by a mobile and web-based application. This report details damage and risk assessments performed at four sites in Ukraine.

A Story of Change, takes us on-the-ground, where the ICCROM course participants could put theory into action with ALIPH seed grants ranging from USD 2500 to USD 10000. The support provided for 16 initiatives includes first aid protection measures for heritage buildings in Iraq and Yemen, the rescue of archives in Libya, and support for intangible heritage like poems, songs, dances and silversmith traditions in Iraq, South Sudan, and Yemen. These projects reflect the breadth and diversity of cultural heritage in the regions and the strong commitment of a new generation of professionals to protect heritage, foster dialogue and build peace.

Capturing local voices on how they use and regard heritage in peace and conflict is the focus of our newest Tool, Community-Based Heritage Indicators for Peace, developed by ICCROM’s First Aid and Resilience for Cultural Heritage in Times of Crises (FAR) Programme. This resource outlines a step-by-step method for engaging local communities in defining heritage indicators that can help measure peace and social change in conflict-affected settings.

ICCROM and the Cultural Heritage Administration of the Republic of Korea, in collaboration with Escuela Taller Foundation de Filipinas Foundation Inc., Philippines, are pleased to announce the release of the publication, A Story of Change 2 – Transforming Online Learning into Action for Disaster Risk Management of Heritage Collections, now available for free download. 

Climate.Culture.Peace is a knowledge-building initiative, aimed at exploring the interconnections between culture, climate change, peace and disaster resilience. It includes a 5-day virtual conference and a knowledge portal with a focus on heritage places and institutions, which are threatened by climate-related disasters and/or conflicts driven by environmental stresses. This project is conceived and designed by First Aid and Resilience for Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis (FAR), a flagship programme of ICCROM, which is aimed at protecting cultural heritage from conflicts and disasters. This initiative is generously supported by the British Council’s Cultural Protection Fund (CPF) in partnership with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

This report summarizes the proceedings and findings of the Cilmate.Culture.Peace Conference and analyzes understandings growing out of the conversations held. It underscores the urgency of promoting shifts in the ways we perceive culture, heritage and climate change and take action. 

Undertaking heritage recovery in conflict settings is challenging and could lead to unintended consequences, as well as further discord. Is there a way to avoid such an outcome?

To find out more on how the local community of Mosul, Iraq, got together to revive its spirit and identity through a heritage walking tour, starting in the Assyrian part of the city and ending up in the Jewish Ghetto, along with other stories of change from around the world, read more here.