Do you have a story of how risk to heritage was reduced or resilience strengthened in your community, institution, or country?
We invite you to share your story of change and be part of a global conversation on innovative approaches to disaster risk reduction.
About the Call
Cultural heritage faces unprecedented risks today. Climate change, extreme weather events, fires, floods, and other cascading systemic hazards are placing mounting pressure on sites, collections, and living traditions worldwide. The consequences extend far beyond physical loss: when heritage is damaged or destroyed, communities lose not only material assets but also memory, identity, and the livelihoods it sustains.
Preparedness pays off. Evidence shows that risk reduction and preparedness measures can substantially reduce these losses. According to the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), every dollar invested in preparedness can save up to to seven dollars in recovery costs.
For heritage, the benefits go even further. Preparedness protects sites and traditions from damage, enhances adaptive capacity by drawing on place-based knowledge and practices, strengthens early warning and preparedness systems, and fosters closer coordination between heritage institutions, civil protection, and disaster management authorities.
Despite strong evidence of cost-effectiveness, global investment in disaster risk management remains heavily weighted toward emergency response and recovery. At the same time, preventive action and preparedness receive only a fraction of resources. Bridging this gap highlights the urgent need for innovative, scalable approaches to risk reduction.
Across the world, inspiring examples show that resilience can be strengthened—even with limited resources. Heritage custodians and communities are reviving traditional land and water management practices to reduce floods and erosion. Local associations and volunteer groups are mobilizing rapid support to stop hazards from escalating. In some areas traditional building techniques are being revived to improve resistance to fire and extreme weather, while in others, regular monitoring, planning, and awareness campaigns are making a tangible difference in reducing vulnerabilities.
These experiences demonstrate that disaster risk reduction for heritage does not always depend on large budgets. It depends on foresight, collaboration, and the ability to adapt existing knowledge to contemporary challenges.
ICCROM-FAR’s PREVENT Series: From Training to Innovation
ICCROM’s First Aid and Resilience for Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis (FAR) programme has pioneered the PREVENT series—practical training courses on fire (2022) and flood (2023) risk mitigation. Through these courses, participants were equipped to assess risks, engage communities, test preparedness through simulations, and implement cost-effective, context-specific mitigation projects.
Building on this experience, we are now gathering the most innovative, effective, and affordable practices developed by participants for a peer-reviewed global publication. This publication will showcase practical strategies for risk mitigation, emergency preparedness, and adaptation that not only reduce disaster and extreme weather risks for people and heritage, but also provide critical insights on how to scale up such actions. Above all, it will deliver compelling evidence that prevention pays.
Submit your Abstract
We invite you to contribute your experiences in prevention, mitigation, and preparedness in safeguarding both tangible and intangible heritage. Your abstract can include:
- How you identified and reduced risks to heritage.
- Innovative or low-cost solutions you applied.
- Benefits observed, such as reduced vulnerabilities, stronger preparedness, or early signs of resilience.
- Lessons that others can learn and replicate.
Selected abstracts will be developed into full articles, with guidance from experts, and published on ICCROM’s website.
Submission Guidelines
- Deadline for abstracts (max 300 words): 05 November 2025
- Full article submission: 15 December 2025
- Publication release: February 2026
How to Submit
Please submit your abstract here
Why Participate?
- Gain visibility: Be published in an international, peer-reviewed ICCROM publication.
- Shape global practice: Share innovative, replicable risk reduction solutions.
- Learn and grow: Work with experts who will mentor you through the article development process.