Alhambra Palace - Granada
Alhambra Palace - Granada

The Second World War claimed more lives than any other war in history and obliterated a great deal of cultural property that defined the communities in which they were erected. This included many historic cities of Europe.

In its aftermath, the world needed a technical institution dedicated to preserving, protecting and restoring what humanity had destroyed. In response, UNESCO created ICCROM and chose Rome as its headquarters. As home to ICCROM and as a beneficiary of its earliest efforts, Europe is a region with which the organization has always had close ties, and which has also had an important role to play in the conservation sector.

Sixty years later, humanity is faced yet again with large-scale and catastrophic developments – mass displacement of people, entrenched conflict, harshening climate. All are challenging cultural heritage preservation. Europe is again in a positon to both benefit from and serve ICCROM’s efforts. This is not only because these demographic, political and climatic forces are playing out within or near its borders, but also because Europe is able – and therefore responsible – to play a more universal role in enacting change.

ICCROM is eager to engage with a Europe that leverages everything from its resources, to experience and diplomatic know-how to model inclusive and engaged societies. Europe can take the lead in truly integrating refugees who come in search of safety, embracing the cultures they bring and incorporating them into Europe’s own. Europe can show how caring for culture is caring for people as heritage congregates and generates cohesion, understanding and even economic opportunity. And when Europe extends this work beyond its borders, it can demonstrate how the returns on cultural diplomacy are more stable, inclusive and just nations – indeed, a better world.

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Re-og Geneva

Out of storage with the Geneva Ethnographic Museum

At the request of the Geneva Ethnographic Museum (MEG), Gaël de Guichen and Marjolijn Debulpaep of the Royal Institute of Artistic Heritage (KIK-IRPA), Brussels, Belgium, carried out a RE-ORG workshop in 1 – 2 Febrary 2016.

Louvre-lens meeting

Results of Louvre-Lens Symposium

A special symposium on post-conflict reconstruction of historic cities, organized by ICCROM, the Louvre-Lens Museum and the Institut du monde arabe in Tourcoing, was held in Lens, France on 20 – 21 January 2017.

farnesina

Sixty years of Italy at the United Nations and the contribution of ICCROM

On 16 December, ICCROM was invited to participate in the latest edition of Farnesina Porte Aperte, an initiative in which the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAECI) opens its doors to the general public. This recent event was dedicated to celebrating the 60th anniversary of Italy’s accession to the United Nations. Organized by the Unit of Analysis, Planning and Historical Diplomatic...

FAC Ukraine

First Aid to Cultural Heritage in Ukraine

The National Museum of Ukranian Pottery in Opishne recently hosted a workshop on “First Aid to Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis: International Strategies for Ukraine”, an event inspired by the ICCROM First Aid (FAC) course held earlier this spring in Amsterdam in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution, the Netherlands National Commission for UNESCO and several local collaborators.

Gael de guichen

Gaël de Guichen receives award from the King of Spain

Gaël de Guichen, Special Advisor to the Director General of ICCROM, received the Gold Medal for Merit in Fine Arts from His Majesty the King of Spain on 2 December at a ceremony in Seville, Spain.

D.Franceschini

Italy’s Culture Minister Visits ICCROM

On 26 November, Dr Stefano De Caro, Director-General of ICCROM, received the Honourable Dario Franceschini, Italy’s minister of cultural heritage and tourism (Ministro dei Beni e delle Attività Culturali e del Turismo, or MiBACT).

FAC Nepal

First Aid to Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis 2016

Is it possible to safeguard cultural heritage while humanitarian aid and security operations are underway? When is the right time to intervene? How could we ensure that cultural recovery becomes a force for stabilization and building back better? The training on First Aid to Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis aims to equip participants with necessary skills and knowledge to provide timely...

AV day

ICCROM celebrates World Audiovisual Day

Last September in Brussels, over 200 delegates from around the world attended the 1st international “Unlocking Sound and Image Heritage”, to jointly define a 10-year vision for audiovisual archives. To celebrate World Day for Audiovisual Heritage, the SOIMA community invites colleagues from the audiovisual archive field to provide feedback on our vision and how to reach it.

Re-org Belgium

RE-ORG project underway in Belgium

No two RE-ORG projects are alike. Each RE-ORG team uses the same methodology, but parameters such as the type of collection (size, weight and composition), number of objects, collection growth, space availability, storage room and state of conservation are different. This therefore demonstrates the adaptability of the RE-ORG methodology to suit different needs and situations.

Soima 2015

SOIMA 2015: Unlocking Sound and Image Heritage

Locked in obsolete formats and threatened by degradation and decay, nearly every sound and image collection faces the imminent threat of extinction. As a result, the world stands to lose a wealth of knowledge and information – a wealth that binds communities together and is crucial for conserving our natural and cultural diversity.