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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Paul N. Perrot (1926–2023)

Paul N. Perrot (1926–2023)

It is with great sadness that we send our deepest condolences to Mr Perrot's children – Paul, Chantal, Jeannine and Robert – on behalf of the ICCROM staff and all those who, through ICCROM's activities, benefited from his work. Mr Perrot played a considerable role in the world of museums and the conservation of cultural property, particularly at ICCROM.

RE-ORG training to improve storage at eleven museums in Portugal

RE-ORG training to improve storage at eleven museums in Portugal

The RE-ORG project continues to be very active and dynamic in Portugal after holding RE-ORG Lisboa in 2018. This year's workshop was held in Santarém on March 20, 21, and 27,28, where 35 museum professionals belonging to the group of 11 "Museums of Lezíria do Tejo" were trained to implement the RE-ORG method in their storage spaces.

Second annual RE-ORG in Emilia-Romagna, Italy 

Second annual RE-ORG in Emilia-Romagna, Italy 

The second edition of the training course on the management and reorganization of museum repositories, RE-ORG 2023, has begun in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. The course is promoted and organized by the Emilia-Romagna Region-Cultural Heritage Sector in agreement with ICOM Italy, under the guidance of ICCROM, and with the support of Cuckoo House.

Visit from Cornell University students

Visit from Cornell University students

On 14 April, Professor Jeffrey M. Chusid from Cornell University's (USA) Department of City and Regional Planning brought his group of eight Master's students to visit ICCROM headquarters in Rome. The students, who are spending this spring semester in Rome, study architecture, conservation and planning.

Contributing to PROCULTHER-NET workshops in Volterra

Contributing to PROCULTHER-NET workshops in Volterra

ICCROM’s FAR programme led two full-day sessions on damage and risk assessment for cultural heritage as part of PROCULTHER-NET's advanced trainings on protecting cultural heritage in emergencies in line with European standards.* The sessions’ goal was to increase the integration of cultural heritage safeguarding in the Union Civil Protection Mechanism’s (UCPM) responses to disasters – building on...

Ministry of Culture of Italy visits ICCROM headquarters

Ministry of Culture of Italy visits ICCROM headquarters

On 30 March 2023, ICCROM Director-General Webber Ndoro had the honour of meeting with Clemente Contestabile, the Diplomatic Advisor to the Minister of Culture of Italy, who was accompanied by Erminia Sciacchitano, Advisor for Multilateral Affairs, Minister’s Cabinet, and Riccardo Luciani, Member of the Technical Secretariat of the Ministry.

USUN Ukraine event

Safeguarding cultural heritage in Ukraine with support of United States

We are happy to announce that the United States has contributed close to $250,000 to benefit ICCROM’s efforts in building Ukrainian capacity to recover and safeguard its cultural heritage. The funding is part of the US Department of State’s $7 million investment in its recently announced Ukraine Cultural Heritage Response Initiative.

ICCROM Library in Bologna

ICCROM Library visits Bologna International Children's Book Fair to expand our heritage education space for youth 

ICCROM visited the international Bologna Children's Book Fair, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. The most important event of its kind, the fair offers a platform for exchange among publishers, rights holders, illustrators and others engaged in the international scene of children's and young adult literature.

Ambassador of Spain to the Republic of Italy at ICCROM

Visit from Ambassador of Spain

On the 6 March 2023, ICCROM Director-General Dr Webber Ndoro was honoured to welcome the Ambassador of Spain to the Republic of Italy, H.E. Miguel Fernández-Palacios.

ICCROM and Parks Canada

ICCROM and Parks Canada

On 27 February 2023, our Director-General Webber Ndoro had the honour of meeting the President and CEO of Parks Canada, Ron Hallman, during a visit to Ottawa. Also present was Patricia Kell, Executive Director of Cultural Heritage at Parks Canada and member of the ICCROM Council.