The Swiss Cultural Heritage Inventory Project is the latest project from the Cultural Heritage At Risk Database (CHARD), underway throughout 2026. The project - supported by the Swiss Confederation Federal Office for Culture - will digitise and register thousands of objects currently at risk in conflict zones such as Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, Libya, Ukraine and Afghanistan.
The SCHIP project particularly builds on the records of Swiss archaeologists, art historians and experts or in Swiss‑held inventories. These archival records from museums, archaeological missions and researchers will be converted into searchable database entries to enable the identification of stolen or missing cultural property when it appears for sale, supporting law‑enforcement investigations and recovery efforts.
The project builds on Switzerland’s long-standing leadership in cultural heritage collaboration and uses CHARD’s proven partnership with the Art Loss Register to ensure perpetual monitoring of the art market. Designed for long-term impact, the project transforms existing Swiss documentation into a sustainable, globally relevant tool against illicit trafficking.