This fall, the Cultural Heritage without Borders (CHwB) foundations in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo are organizing an international training on disaster preparedness and disaster risk management, as well as first aid for cultural heritage after disasters. This training follows in the tradition of ICCROM and the Prince Claus Fund that the best way to save cultural heritage from conflict and disaster is to prepare professionals and volunteers before disaster strikes.

The platform Balkan Cultural Aid Response for Emergencies (B+CARE) was founded in March 2016, in order to inspire, train and coordinate volunteers for the work of preparing for and assisting in cultural emergencies. The first training, held in Gjirokastra, Albania, was organized by CHwB-Albania and the Urban Development Centre in Belgrade and held under the patronage of ICCROM. This training brought together 19 participants from 7 Balkan countries.

Now, we are expanding this network even further across the Western Balkans and connecting with other nearby regions of the world—Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. (See below for a complete list of eligible countries.)

When and where is it?

CHwB-Albania, CHwB-Bosnia and Herzegovina and CHwB-Kosovo are teaming up to deliver a 3-week training, 7-27 November 2016, which will take place in three locations in the Western Balkans:

• Goražde, Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Prishtina, Kosovo
• Gjirokastra, Albania

The goal of the training is for heritage professionals to learn practical skills for protecting and rescuing museum collections, heritage sites and intangible heritage in disaster situations. The program combines both theoretical lectures from regional and international experts with practical field exercises designed to reflect disaster situations and test participants’ knowledge.

What topics will be covered?

While the course will develop and progress as a whole over the course of 3 weeks, each week will have a slightly different focus for the practical exercises. Week 1 (Goražde, BiH) will address museum collections, week 2 (Prishtina, Kosovo) will cover built heritage in an urban context, and week 3 (Gjirokastra, Albania) will focus on intangible heritage and approaches to protection of individual monuments. Topics covered will include:

• Understanding complex emergencies
• Working with national and international actors during an emergency
• Disaster risk management, including preparedness and mitigation
• First aid for museum collections
• Techniques for salvage of heritage objects
• Understanding buildings and building failure
• Understanding spatial complexities of working with urban heritage at risk
• Rapid assessment of heritage properties in an urban context
• Engaging communities for disaster risk reduction
• Taking a human rights and peacebuilding approach to cultural heritage
• Importance of intangible heritage for post-disaster recovery and methods of documenting it
• Tools and techniques for creating and managing secure databases
• Techniques for preventing or mitigating fire in historic buildings
• Understanding how culture can support humanitarian disaster response

Who is eligible?

Due to the focus of this program, participants must be a citizen of one of the following Western Balkan, Eastern European or Middle East/North African countries: Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, FYROM, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Serbia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, West Bank and Gaza Strip.

What funding is available?

There is funding available to cover participants’ attendance at this training. The organizers will cover the following expenses: tuition, on-site accommodation with breakfast, a meal allowance of 10 euros/day (which is adequate for basic lunches and dinners in all three training locations), visa fees, transportation from the participant’s home country to/from the locations of the training, all travel during the activity and any materials needed, including tools, papers, safety equipment, etc.Participants are responsible for any other expenses incurred.

APPLY NOW!

Due to the time required to process visas, the application deadline is:

October 3

1. Download the simple PDF application form here: bcare_applicationform_nov2016
2. Fill and sign it digitally
3. Submit it by email to: [email protected]

(Note: You will need Adobe Reader, in order to fill this application. This software is free. You can download the latest version here: https://get.adobe.com/reader/ )

This project is funded by the Prince Claus Fund and Sweden. The project is implemented in cooperation between CHwB–Albania, CHwB–Bosnia and Herzegovina and CHwB–Kosovo.