Blue Shield International Training

Recent conflicts have shown that many countries are caught unprepared when armed conflicts and environmental disasters occur. The Blue Shield network is committed to building capacity to enable countries to meet their obligations under the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its Protocols. The Convention requires countries to carry out preparations in peacetime to prepare for the possibility of armed conflict, such as:

  • identifying key cultural property and preparing inventories (including nominating property in the Special and Enhanced categories of protection);
  • preparing emergency refuges;
  • designating competent authorities, including within the armed forces, as responsible for the safeguarding of cultural property, and training them appropriately;
  • planning emergency measures for the protection of cultural property; and preparing for the removal of movable cultural property or the provision of adequate in situ protection of such property.

Blue Shield International (BSI) offers training to the heritage sector and armed forces, ideally in combination. Our courses are custom designed to meet identified training needs. Needs can include: approaches to cultural property protection; an introduction to international cultural property law; the laws of armed conflict; and risk management techniques. In addition, we also offer training, advice, and assistance in the preparation of inventories.

Blue Shield International at a NATO CIMIC J9 Workshop

© Blue Shield International, 2017

Building on the work of organisations such as ICCROM and ICOM, BSI facilitates training for heritage managers to assist them in conducting both peacetime preparations and emergency measures should armed conflict, natural, or human-made disaster occur.

If you are interested in talking to us about or requesting training, please contact us.

Alternatively, many of our national committees also offer training courses: if you have a national committee, you can find their contact details on our map of national committees.

Blue Shield Georgia delivers the course 'First Aid to Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis' to volunteers

© Blue Shield Georgia

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