Are you considering applying to READY Track 2, but unsure how to proceed? Do you have questions about eligibility, requirements, or how to prepare a strong application, and want to better understand what sets this training apart and why it may be the right opportunity for you?
Join our Information Meeting on 12 March 2026 at 15:00 CET.
Following the successful first year of training under READY Track 1, which built a cohort of 24 risk managers and cultural first aiders from 19 countries equipped to safeguard heritage collections and living traditions, ICCROM is now taking READY into its next phase with the launch of Track 2 — an immersive training aimed at managing risks from extreme weather, disasters, and armed conflict to immovable heritage and associated living traditions — to further strengthen and expand the European cohort of risk managers and cultural first aiders.
What Will You Learn from the Information Meeting?
Participants interested in applying to READY Track 2 will gain the following insights by attending the Information Meeting:
- Gain a clear overview of the structure and phases of the training
- Understand the eligibility requirements and selection priorities
- Learn what makes a strong and competitive application
- Receive guidance on identifying a heritage site and associated living tradition for your proposal
- Hear from READY Track 1 participants and previous cultural first aiders, including those who have worked in other crisis contexts, about their experience and how they enhanced disaster risk preparedness within their institutions and applied the training to strengthen resilience in practice.
About READY
In 2025, ICCROM’s flagship programme — First Aid and Resilience for Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis (FAR) — launched READY: Safeguarding Cultural Heritage from Disasters, Extreme Weather Events and Complex Emergencies, in partnership with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC), and funded by the European Union through the Creative Europe Programme.
This 38-month pan-European initiative was conceived in response to the growing and overlapping risks affecting Europe’s cultural heritage. Climate extremes, disasters, and conflict are increasingly threatening not only movable and immovable heritage, but also the living traditions and knowledge systems connected to them.
READY Track 2
READY Track 2 is a fully funded international training focused on safeguarding immovable, archaeological, and intangible cultural heritage in the face of disasters, climate risks, and complex emergencies.
The immersive learning experience is structured across multiple phases, combining online foundational training, an intensive in-person component, and follow-up field projects that directly apply learning in real contexts. The training is designed not only to build knowledge, but also to strengthen hands-on experience and sustain a growing professional network committed to safeguarding immovable and associated intangible heritage before, during, and after disasters, extreme weather events, and conflicts.
Key Course Dates
The course comprises four key phases:
- Phase 1: Online Orientation and Introduction to Key Concepts
1–18 June 2026 | 16–20 hours per week over four weeks, with half-day sessions held Monday to Thursday. - Phase 2: Two-Week In-Person Training on Immovable and Intangible Cultural Heritage
6–17 July 2026 | The training will take place over two weeks, with one rest day between each week. Participants should plan for a minimum stay of 12–15 days in Bucharest, Romania (location TBC), and are advised to obtain approval from their employers accordingly. Exact dates will be confirmed upon selection.
Location: Bucharest, Romania (TBC) - Phase 3: Follow-up Field Projects Implemented by Participants
August 2026 – February 2027 | Upon completion of the in-person workshop, participants are required to propose joint or individual projects to be carried out in their home countries, aimed at enhancing regional, national, and local capacities for managing risks related to conflicts, disasters, and extreme weather events affecting heritage sites and living traditions. Resources for implementing field projects will be supported by participants’ institutions. - Phase 4: International Online Meeting for Dissemination of Field Project Outcomes
Dates to be confirmed following completion of the field projects.
Who Should Participate?
Conservation architects and engineers, heritage site managers, archaeologists, urban planners, community leaders and cultural bearers, as well as professionals working in civil protection, disaster risk management, climate science, humanitarian response, fire risk management, and military and emergency services involved in heritage protection from countries participating in the Creative Europe Programme are invited to attend the Information Meeting to learn more about the training and how to prepare a strong and competitive application.
Join us to discover how READY Track 2 can strengthen your capacity to manage risks to heritage cities, sites, buildings, and living traditions — and how you can become part of the next European cohort of risk managers and cultural first aiders.
Join us on 12 March 2026 at 15:00 CET on Zoom. Register here