We provide quick help to evacuate, stabilise or rescue cultural heritage that is under imminent threat of destruction or that has been damaged by man-made or natural disasters through our Cultural Emergency Response programme (CER).
We implement emergency relief actions in direct cooperation with local partners in the affected communities. Through CER, we also organise the training of heritage rescuers and the development of a network of experts who can facilitate quick response wherever needed.
We often work in collaboration with other international heritage conservation organisations, such as UNESCO, ICCROM, the Smithsonian Institution and the Whiting Foundation.
Why is it important? Culture connects individuals to our communities and their history. Safeguarding cultural heritage can contribute to better understanding and social acceptance of a community. It can strengthen communities’ sense of identity and give us the resilience to recover from conflict or natural disaster.
