SHARE-ORG is a competition to promote the creative use of underused museum collections in storage, after they have undergone a reorganization project. Once collections are better organized and storage areas made more functional, museums can use those collections in new and innovative ways – and THAT is what we want to hear about! With this competition, we are looking for the newest and most innovative ways to provide access to collections in storage.

Imagine a world without cultural heritage collections: no more libraries, archives, museums, treasured artefacts in temples, cultural centres and communities. How big a difference do you think this would make in your life?

Following the instructions of the Governments of Italy and Sharjah, UAE to urgently contain the spread of COVID-19, ICCROM's premises both in Rome and in Sharjah will be closed until further notice. This closure includes that of the Library and Archives, and the suspension of the Document Delivery Service.

On Thursday 5 March at 15:00 the Director-General received the visit of the Ambassador of Israel, H.E. Dror Eydar.

Peter Rockwell, sculptor, expert in the history and techniques of stone carving, and frequent lecturer on ICCROM courses, died at Danvers, MA, USA on 6 February 2020 at the age of 83.

On 3 March at 10:30 the Director-General received the visit of H.E. Mammad Ahmadzada, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan, who was joined by Mr Elvin Ashrafzade, Second Secretary at the Embassy.

The Reina Sofía Contemporary Art Museum, Madrid, Spain, organizes a two-day conference on the Conservation of Contemporary Art (Thursday 27 and Friday 28 February 2020). The conference aims at sharing experiences and research on the topic, exploring and discussing new ways of studying in this field, as well as reflecting on institutional management of conservation and professional practice of restoration of this type of heritage.

The Megalithic Jar Sites in Xiengkhuang – Plain of Jars in central Laos, is one of the country’s three World Heritage Properties, inscribed on the List in 2019. The Outstanding Universal Value of this fascinating property lies in more than 2100 tubular-shaped stone jars located on hill slopes and spurs surrounding the central plateau of country. Used for funerary practices in the Iron Age, they date from between 500 BCE and 800 CE. Considering the vulnerability of the property to various natural and human-induced hazards such as fires, erosion, flooding and landslides, as well as from theft and vandalism, the World Heritage Committee at the time of inscription recommended that the State Party develop and implement strategies for disaster reduction, including capacity building activities.

When disasters strike, years of human achievement can be wiped away in a moment. In such crises, the affected people are anxious to salvage what is left of their personal belongings and their cultural heritage. First Aid for Cultural Heritage teaches you how to secure, salvage and stabilise endangered heritage during an emergency. Heritage that has been safeguarded helps build stronger, more resilient communities.

On 12th of February 2020 the Director-General received the visit of Ms Daniela Porro, Soprintendente Speciale Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio di Roma, and Alessandro Mascherucci, Architect in charge of the Portion of San Michele Complex.