7 November. On 26 October, the third edition of the International Course on First Aid to Cultural Heritage in Times of Conflict concluded successfully. Participants received their certificates from the Director-General of ICCROM at a moving farewell ceremony in the presence of representatives of the Italian Red Cross and ICCROM staff.

The five-week course was aimed at building capacity for cultural heritage protection in areas of the world affected by conflict.  It included several hands-on training sessions, emergency simulations and site visits. At the end of the fourth week, the participants undertook a study visit to Emilia, a region in northern Italy that was devastated by a massive earthquake in May 2012. During the study visit the participants were able to survey the response and recovery efforts initiated by Italian institutions.  The participants had the opportunity to meet the Mayor of Finale Emilia, Fernando Ferioli, who has been actively involved in safeguarding cultural heritage in the quake-hit city. The visit was organized in cooperation with the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA-UTSISM).

The fifth and final week centred on the theme, early recovery of cultural heritage, and monitoring and evaluation of cultural projects in post-conflict countries. Initial discussions on the theme were led by two former course participants and the representative of the CER (cultural emergency response) programme of the Prince Claus fund, a cooperating organization that has been funding FAC trainees for the implementation of cultural recovery projects in their native countries.

The highlight of the week, however, was a simulated exercise organized in collaboration with a group Italian Red Cross volunteers called the Pionieri di Roma. As part of the simulation, the premises of the Red Cross were converted into the scene of bomb explosion, where there were human casualties as well as damaged collections. Participants had to work in teams to salvage the collection of culturally sensitive objects, prioritize treatment, and document and pack the items, while having to deal with the international media, representatives from the government and the army.

The course concluded with discussions on the role of cultural heritage in post-war recovery and its potential for building lasting peace, led by Sultan Barakat of the Post-war Reconstruction and Development Unit, University of York.

For the past five weeks 18  participants from 17 countries made ICCROM their home. They built on their diverse experiences to create new knowledge. It was a powerful and inspirational experience for all who were involved.

ICCROM wishes to thank all course partners for making this course a success: UNESCO, Blue Shield, the Prince Claus Fund, as well as the Carabinieri Cultural Heritage Protection Unit,  the Italian Red Cross Pionieri di Roma, INTERSOS and  the National Archives of Netherlands. Finally, this initiative would not have been possible without the support of the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities (MiBAC) and the Swiss Federal Office of Culture.

Here is what some of the participants had to say about the course:

“I found the course to be a valuable exposure to a holistic understanding of first aid to cultural heritage in times of conflict. The course program was well structured with a variety of learning approaches. The course is 100% relevant due to the widespread nature of conflict and the fact that cultural heritage has and is a target.  I feel confident that the knowledge and skills gained will enhance my work with communities in conserving African rock art heritage.  I would do this course again and again”.

“This course is very useful for me. It changed my thinking for the conservation of cultural heritage.”

“It was a great opportunity to be at ICCROM --ll of the lectures were good and interesting. It was a great chance for me. I hope to be in contact with you again!”

“FAC course 2012 was to me a real mind opener on many topics I didn’t have in my mind before, as there are many aspects to first aid to cultural heritage in times of conflict  that include team building, mediation and negotiation skills."

Member States represented: Australia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Egypt, France, Germany, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mali, Netherlands, Peru, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe

updated on: 7 November, 2012