5 November. The fourth week focused on team management, communication skills, and security awareness. The week began early with a short visit to Pompeii, where we were amazed to see how the memory of this ancient disaster has been preserved to this day.

Nine colourful presentations opened the week's activities on from the participants from Pakistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Oman, Egypt, Afghanistan, Colombia, Nigeria, and Spain. Using the objects we had packed during the emergency evacuation of the previous week, we had simulation exercises on unpacking, triage, and prioritization. We were surprised to find that our carefully packed collection was severely damaged by water and fire (by ICCROM staff!). This definitely added a level of difficulty to the operation. This exercise was exciting for the participants as well as for the instructors, Foekje Boersma of Nationaal Archief, Netherlands and Aparna Tandon.

The next topic was security. As First Aiders, we are likely to be working in conditions that are less than ideal, and sometimes even dangerous. Tom Brabers from the Centre for Safety and Development, Netherlands, introduced us to various measures taken to safeguard life and property. He warned us that there is no "one-size-fits-all" solution for security, and that each case should be handled within a specific context. It was interesting to learn that our vulnerability as cultural First Aiders has increased since 2006, in proportion to that of humanitarian aid workers. Frans Barnard, a private security consultant, talked about weapon contamination, and how we must plan our movements carefully, especially in conflict areas where landmines and other unexploded weapons can be found long after the conflict is over.

Finally, Katriina Similä took us into the world of training. As a first step, any good training programme must establish the learning needs of the trainees and not - as is often done - who will be teaching. She emphasized the ICCROM training principle that knowledge should be transferred and multiplied through offshoot activities by the participants themselves.

The week closed with a site visit to the Italian city of L'Aquila, hit by a violent earthquake in 2009. The group was greeted by Antonella Lopardi, Alessandra Mancinelli, and Giuseppe di Girolamo of the Office of the Vice-Commissar for the Reconstruction of l'Aquila. After introductory presentations highlighting the mechanisms of emergency response and building stabilization, the group was taken through the city. This visit left us with a realization of the many lessons to be learned from disaster and crisis management.

Marcela Jaramillo Contreras and Linus Kasai Kingi
FAC 11 participants

Inspired by what they learned in the first course on First Aid to Cultural Heritage in Times of Conflict in 2010, three former participants created an accessible and open blog to promote dialogue and cooperation between cultural heritage professionals and other actors and stakeholders involved in conflict areas. It is hoped that it will become a tool for researchers and professionals to share information and resources, as well as a platform for enhancing awareness in heritage protection issues.

Member States represented: Afghanistan, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Colombia, Egypt, Italy, Kenya, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Senegal, Spain, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Turkey.

updated on: 5 November, 2011