Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative

ALIPH has just launched a Call for Projects for USD 10 million to protect cultural heritage from the impact of climate change. Climate change is taking an extreme toll on the world’s cultural heritage and its communities of stewards: flash flooding, drought, and rising sea levels are just some ways all forms of cultural heritage are becoming endangered in vulnerable countries. We know it is possible to mitigate these impacts and fight climate change. With this call, ALIPH is looking for different categories of projects: - Protection, conservation, rehabilitation - Capacity-building and knowledge transfer - Actionable research The Call for Projects is open to NGOs/CSOs, heritage protection institutions, private organizations, universities, and research centers. Learn more or to apply before 21 November 2024: https://bit.ly/4bqWu9K #ClimateChange #CulturalHeritage #HeritageRecovery #ALIPH  

We look forward to welcoming students to Glasgow next week for the first MAGMa Summer Schools, led by Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative and The Hunterian. Students will spend the next fortnight discovering how they can make their mark on the world's art and cultural heritage. They'll hear from experts as they explore issues including protecting cultural heritage, decolonisation, and activism; all whilst expanding their international networks in our historical, vibrant city. University of Glasgow University of Glasgow, College of Arts and Humanities ISCTE - Instituto Universitário de Lisboa Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication (ESHCC) Erasmus Mundus Association IESA arts&culture #Art #Culture #CulturalHeritage #Postgraduate #ErasmusMundus #Glasgow #SmithsonianCRI #Hunterian #MAGMa

Collaborations are key in preserving heritage after a disaster. SCRI is working with Association for Heritage Preservation of the Americas (APOYOnline) and Associação de Conservadores e Restauradores de Bens Culturais do Rio Grande do Sul (ACORRS) to coordinate with the cultural community in Brazil to address immediate requests for equipment, and supplies. The aim of the project is to provide local heritage stewards with items to care for flood-affected collections and prevent further damage. Personal protective gear such as gloves, masks, and lab coats are on their way as well as small equipment to care for objects and prepare a clean space for the work. The devasting floods have done immense damage to museums, theatres, libraries and other cultural organizations registered in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. While the work is just beginning, SCRI is honored to assist the dedicated heritage professionals working to preserve their cultural sites and collections.

SCRI, Penn Cultural Heritage Center, and the Cultural Heritage Monitoring Lab (CHML) at the Virginia Museum of Natural History have published a Rapid Site Report confirming damage to four cultural heritage sites in Porto Algre, Brazil as a result of flooding due to unprecedented rainfall in Rio Grande do Sul during April and May. Using satellite imagery analysis we can confirm that the Museu Antropológico do Rio Grande do Sul, Museu de Direitos Humanos do Mercosul, Museu do Trabalho, and Rio Grande do Sul Museum of Art were impacted by flood waters: https://bit.ly/4cDuAIF

Continuing our recap of the UNESCO's conference commemorating 70 years of The Hague Convention: SCRI Director, Cori Wegener, moderated a conference panel that discussed how modern technologies can be harnessed to implement the safeguarding of cultural heritage as outlined in the 1954 Hague Convention. Topics included the use of remote sensing satellite imagery analysis, Blockchain technology, and artificial intelligence. Panelists joining were: Olivier Van Damme, Chief, Strategic Planning and Coordination Section, United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Yang Wang, Vice President for Institutional Advancement, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology - HKUST Timo Schless, Advisor and Developer for the White Flag Foundation Major Salvatore Rapicavoli, Officer of the Carabinieri Department of the Protection of Cultural Heritage (Comando CC TPC)

SCRI was grateful for the opportunity to take part in the conference, "Cultural Heritage and Peace: Building on 70 years of the UNESCO Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict” organized by UNESCO and the government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. We thank the organizers for the excellent programming. The event offered an opportunity to exchange knowledge and action plans with the cultural heritage protection community.

Last month, Dr. Richard Kurin, Smithsonian Institution Distinguished Scholar & Ambassador at Large spoke before the U.S. Helsinki Commission for a briefing on Ukrainian culture in wartime. His remarks included SCRI’s work with our Ukrainian colleagues to document and preserve their cultural heritage and the impact of war on art and culture: https://bit.ly/3UXWoA1

Interested in joining the SCRI Team? We are seeking a hybrid intern for the fall/winter of 2024 to assist with the planning of the 2024 Heritage Emergency and Response Training (HEART) program. This internship is an excellent opportunity to learn more cultural heritage emergency field as well as the Smithsonian Institution. Find the internship description and submit your application here: https://s.si.edu/3XhTUzf Applications due by 10 PM on Monday, July 1, 2024 #HEARTraining #HEART2024

Join a briefing for the U.S. Helsinki Commission on Ukrainian Culture in Wartime Wednesday, May 29, at 2:00 pm. Panelists include Smithsonian Institution's own Dr. Richard Kurin, Distinguished Scholar & Ambassador at Large, whose remarks will include SCRI's work and research on Ukraine's cultural heritage. The briefing will examine how Ukrainians and international partners are working to preserve Ukraine’s cultural heritage, how the full-scale war has altered the sphere of art and culture, and how Ukrainians understand their own identity in the face of attack. https://bit.ly/3UXWoA1

This year we commemorate the 70th anniversary of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. This treaty was the first international legal framework entirely dedicated to the protection of movable and immovable heritage, setting a precedent for the preservation of heritage in international humanitarian law. Explore the past, present, and future of this important instrument with us over the next year. Learn how the 1954 Hague Convention protects heritage, in times of both war and peace.