Rome, 30 March 2026 — At a time of growing fragmentation in the multilateral system, high-level representatives of governments and the European Commission delivered a strong message: multilateralism remains indispensable for addressing shared global challenges.
Jointly convened by ICCROM and the Delegation of the European Union in Rome, the High-Level Dialogue brought together EU Member States and other countries referred to as “Friends of ICCROM,” underscoring the urgent need to strengthen collective action and sustain international organizations such as ICCROM in navigating an unprecedented time of uncertainty.
During the Dialogue held at Villa Europa, Glenn Micallef, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture & Sport announced a top-up to ICCROM’s ongoing EU-funded ‘READY’ project, bringing the total contribution to EUR 1,750,000. The project is aimed at safeguarding cultural heritage from disasters, extreme weather events and complex emergencies. Through the Creative Europe programme, the funding will enable expanding early recovery efforts in Ukraine. This contribution was widely recognized by participants as a concrete political signal of the European Union’s commitment to multilateral action grounded in shared values and collective responsibility.
The announcement comes at a time of mounting pressure on the multilateral system. Government representatives acknowledged the growing geopolitical uncertainty, compounded by severe financial constraints affecting international organizations due to recent developments impacting their sustainability — including the withdrawal of the United States from ICCROM — as part of a broader shift requiring renewed collective commitment.
In this context, ICCROM was highlighted as a trusted International Organization with a distinct technical mandate within the multilateral system. With its global reach across 139 Member States, it was recognized as an essential Multilateral Organization in strengthening resilience and supporting recovery, while propelling a knock-on effect on socio-economic benefits, stability, and social cohesion — leveraging cultural heritage and cultural diplomacy as key drivers of transformative change.
The “Friends of ICCROM” emphasized that the European Union’s leadership must be matched by a broader engagement from Member States and partners. Governments were encouraged to reinforce their political, financial and institutional support to ICCROM, recognizing that investing in multilateral organizations and development cooperation is critical to ensuring timely, collective and effective action in times of crisis.
Opening the Dialogue, EU Ambassador Martin Selmayr called for closer alignment between ICCROM, the European Union and its Member States to enhance coordinated responses to emerging global challenges. “As pressures grow on the multilateral system, it is essential that we strengthen alignment between international organizations, the European Union and ICCROM Member States.”
Director-General Aruna Francesca Maria Gujral warned against the “higher cost of inaction,” which silently leads to a longer-term negative impact and progressively weakens the strength of multilateral actions and urged governments to act now and step-up their support.
“This unprecedented time is not only about a financial strain or a temporary liquidity issue; it calls on all of us for a broader shift in re-thinking the multilateral system while safeguarding its foundational elements which prevail over any polarization. Now, more than ever, we must be proactive and not reactive in order not to pay a higher cost of a prolonged inaction. Let’s move forward together with determination, innovative solutions, and bolder action. Handling multilateralism as an afterthought is not an option.”
European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport Glenn Micallef reaffirmed the European Union’s strong commitment to multilateral engagement, stressing that sustained investment in international organizations such as ICCROM is essential to delivering coordinated and lasting impact on the ground.
“Europe is stepping up. Culture and cultural heritage are crucial for global resilience, cooperation, and dialogue. Through our additional support to ICCROM, we are contributing to a multilateral organisation that delivers tangible results, including in Ukraine, where cultural heritage is under threat. This comes at a time when multilateralism is being challenged and reflects our broader approach under the Culture Compass for Europe placing culture as a key pillar of our international partnerships.”
The additional EU support to ICCROM will enable Ukrainian cultural heritage professionals to undertake damage assessments, stabilization measures and early recovery actions at affected sites. By combining immediate operational support with cross-sector collaboration and capacity-building with a multiplier effect, the initiative addresses urgent needs while strengthening national resilience and providing fundamental support and technical assistance for longer-term stability, recovery and reconstruction.
Concluding the Dialogue, the “Friends of ICCROM” reaffirmed that sustaining an effective multilateral system is a shared political responsibility. Participants called on governments to build on the European Union’s leadership by increasing their support to ICCROM, ensuring the Intergovernmental Organization can continue to serve its 139 Member States and respond to global challenges and emerging needs — recognizing cultural heritage initiatives as a concrete accelerator of economic, social and environmentally sustainable solutions.
The meeting reinforced a clear priority: strengthening the multilateral system is not optional — it is essential. Supporting ICCROM and its global mandate represents a concrete step towards safeguarding the essence of multilateralism advancing collective actions and upholding the core values of international solidarity in an increasingly uncertain world.
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