Cultural Heritage & Tourism WG meeting: Cultural Heritage in times of conflicts and crises - Role in societal resilience and preparedness strategies
Cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible, plays a vital role in societal resilience. In times of conflict and crisis, it becomes not only a symbol of identity and continuity but also a key element in recovery and reconciliation. While cultural heritage is often at risk, whether through deliberate destruction or collateral damage, its protection contributes to strengthening communities, democracies and sustaining their sense of belonging. As underlined by UNESCO, safeguarding cultural heritage in emergencies is an essential component of preserving human dignity and supporting long-term recovery. Cultural Heritage could and should therefore be considered as critical infrastructure the need special attention and protection.
Given the current situation, the Working Group organised an exchange meeting in order to examine how to protect cultural heritage under such challenging circumstances, drawing on EU initiatives and lessons learned from Ukraine. To this end the session highlighted regional experiences, showcasing how local actors and authorities are developing innovative approaches to integrating cultural heritage into resilience planning, emergency preparedness and community engagement.
The European Commission added the current state of play and shared strategies that enhance preparedness, response and resilience, both in the immediate aftermath of crises and through long-term capacity building.
This initiative aims to foster knowledge-sharing among policymakers, public authorities and stakeholders; promote innovative safeguarding and communication practices; and strengthen the overall preparedness and resilience of Europe’s cultural heritage.
Key take-home messages from the meeting and points for follow-up discussion
- Current developments demonstrate that Ukraine offers important and timely insights into the protection of cultural heritage in situations of conflict. Its experiences provide valuable lessons for Europe on needs, gaps and effective responses.
- Cultural heritage is a vital societal function. While it cannot always be fully safeguarded and preparedness plans can never be exhaustive, proactive action significantly reduces risks and impacts.
Preparedness is essential and should be grounded in a thorough understanding of places, assets and communities from a cultural perspective. Key elements include:
o Planning and preparing for worst-case scenarios, including evacuation and secure storage of heritage assets, supported by clear emergency plans
o Establishing cooperation frameworks for exchange, mutual support and cross-border assistance
o Investing in skills development and capacity-building to equip professionals and institutions for crisis situations
o Preparing and involving civil society, recognising its role in protection, documentation and recovery
o Ensuring the availability of materials, inventories and basic resources needed in emergencies
New approaches are required alongside existing methods. While digitisation is essential, issues such as long-term data storage, accessibility and security must be addressed.
o Participatory approaches to data collection can strengthen local ownership and engagement
o Advanced digital technologies (e.g. laser scanning, RTI, SfM) are increasingly important to document heritage elements not visible to the naked eye
- Cultural and community centres can play an important dual role in times of crisis, acting as contact points, meeting spaces, language hubs, or temporary accommodation, thereby supporting social cohesion and community resilience.
- The role of cultural heritage as a form of critical infrastructure must be more explicitly recognised across policy areas, including resilience and security, democracy, health, research, and education. The Swiss model, which integrates cultural heritage into national resilience strategies, provides a useful reference.
- At EU level, continued support is needed to help regions and Member States strengthen networks, exchange knowledge and scale up best practices in cultural heritage preparedness and protection.
Next steps:
- Explore topics such as 'CH and health' (focus on mental health), also highlighted in the Culture Compass
- Foster cooperation and networking via EU mechanisms (now and after 2028)
- Explore ways of digitisation and data storing
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- 09/12/2025 - 10:00 - 09/12/2025 - 12:00
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ERRIN
Rue du Luxembourg 3
1000 Bruxelles
Belgium - Zoé Thomazeau
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Working Group