in Russian – https://aga-tribunal.info/eu-18-6-2021/
Council of the European Union on June 18, 2021 adopted a project (April 19, 2021) of a Concept on Cultural heritage in conflicts and crises.
Later on June 21, 2021 it adopted also the Conclusions on EU Approach to Cultural Heritage in conflicts and crises.
A component for peace and security in European Union’s external action.
Contents
- Introduction……………………………..3
a) Rationale ………………………………3
b) Definitions…………………………….3 - EU strategic approach to cultural heritage in conflict and crises……4
a) Cultural heritage as a political and symbolic component in conflicts and crises…….4
b) Cultural heritage as a driver of conflicts and crises ……..4
c) Cultural heritage as a vector of peace and development…….4 - EU operational approach for cultural heritage in conflicts and crises ..5
a) Cultural heritage and preventive actions………..5
b) Cultural heritage and safeguarding measures …………..6
c) Cultural heritage and recovery processes…………….7 - EU principles of engagement for cultural heritage in conflicts and crises …………8
a) EU to promote the international legal framework to protect cultural heritage ………………8
b) EU to promote partnerships and multilateralism………9
c) Coherence among EU policies and instruments…………9
d) Supporting a multi-track approach with attention to national and local ownership ………9
e) Inclusion, empowerment of women and youth…………10
f) Conflict sensitivity and “do no harm” principle ………10
g) Complementarity between intangible and tangible heritage …….11
h) Coherence with natural heritage and climate change ………11 - EU ways forward………….11
a) EU to integrate cultural heritage in its political and diplomatic engagement……….11
b) EU to integrate cultural heritage in its crisis management approach………..11
c) EU to integrate cultural heritage in its external action’s engagement……….12
d) EU to enhance the interlinkage between cultural heritage, peace and development……..12
e) EU to monitor its actions on cultural heritage in conflicts and crises……..13
- Introduction
a) Rationale
Preserving peace, preventing conflicts and strengthening international security, are part of the European Union (EU)’s raison d’être and one of its key external action objectives as provided in article 21(2) of the Treaty on European Union.
Following the Political and Security Committee request on 27 October 2020, the present concept is built on the idea that the EU, as a value based actor, needs to promote in its external action, the protection and the enhancement of cultural heritage in conflicts and crises
as a factor contributing to the development of peace, reconciliation and mutual understanding, intercultural dialogue, international solidarity, identities and social cohesion, capacity building, local, inclusive and sustainable development, cities’ and regions’ regeneration.
The present concept is applicable to cultural heritage, be it tangible or intangible, as defined below. It aims at further enhancing the EU’s role in preserving peace, preventing conflict and strengthening international security by adding cultural heritage within the EU’s toolbox, also presenting an opportunity for the EU to reaffirm its commitment to the principle of Responsibility to Protect. It provides the policy foundation for the EU to engage on cultural heritage in its external action in conflicts and crises, elaborating on principles, operational and strategic approaches in line with the humanitarian-peace-development nexus [1].
b) Definitions
Cultural heritage [2] consists of the resources inherited from the past in all forms and aspects – tangible, intangible and digital, including monuments, sites, landscapes, skills, practices, knowledge and expressions of human creativity, as well as collections conserved and
managed by public and private bodies such as museums, galleries, libraries and archives. It originates from the interaction between people and places through time and it is constantly evolving.
Tangible Cultural Heritage [3] refers to physical artefacts produced, maintained and transmitted intergenerationally in a society. It includes artistic creations, built heritage such as buildings and monuments, and other physical or tangible products of human creativity that are invested with cultural significance in a society.
Intangible Cultural Heritage [4] indicates ‘the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills, as well as the instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated therewith, that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage. Examples of intangible heritage are oral traditions, performing arts, local knowledge, and traditional skills.
1 The triple nexus was based on the Council of the EU’s May 2017 conclusions on operationalizing the humanitarian-development nexus.
2 EU Council conclusions on cultural heritage as a strategic resource for a sustainable Europe, 20 may 2014
3 UNESCO, 1972 World Heritage Convention, article 1
4 UNESCO, 2003 Convention for the safeguarding of the intangible Cultural Heritage
- EU strategic approach to cultural heritage in conflict and crises
a) Cultural heritage as a political and symbolic component in conflicts and crises
Cultural heritage is by nature politically sensitive, highly complex with a high degree of symbolic significance, emotionally charged and with a risk of political manipulation concerning its history, ownership and use.
Cultural heritage can be a driver of conflict but also a vector for peace, reconciliation and development. This heralds a new opportunity to develop a concept on cultural heritage as a powerful and complementary component for the revitalisation of the EU approach to peace, security and development.
b) Cultural heritage as a driver of conflicts and crises
In numerous conflicts and crises around the world, attacks on cultural heritage have been an instrument of symbolic violence, both as a collateral damage and as a direct target for belligerents who use the destruction of cultural heritage as a means to foster violence and
hatred. The politicization of cultural heritage, often when including its religious aspects, can polarize either a society, a country, a region, an ethnical group or a community and increase the risk of violent conflict.
Cultural heritage destruction and looting can be a weapon of war, and a warning sign for future mass atrocities. They have a profound impact on societies, undermining their historical references and weakening the foundations for peace. Protracted crisis and conflicts have also led to destruction of intangible cultural heritage: practices, traditions, festivals, languages have been disrupted and their transmission from one generation to another endangered.
Looting implies a security dimension as it is a way to access to fund for criminal and terrorist organisations, but it also has a socio-cultural impact as it is a political tool to weaken identities. These forms of cultural erasure are altering the relationship people and communities have to their past and their future, and can undermine the forging of inclusive citizenship and social cohesion.
In some instances, cultural heritage destruction has been an element of humanitarian emergencies along with the persecution of individuals based on their cultural, ethnic or religious affiliation, the violation of their cultural rights and the denial of their identities.
Cultural heritage can also be a driver for instability and insecurity, when used as a way to exacerbate differences and divisions in communities (especially based on certain cultural, religious, ethnic, language factors).
Because of the strong connection between culture and peoples’ identities, the intentional destruction and misappropriation of cultural heritage and the violation of cultural rights are
aggravating factors in conflicts and crises. They represent major obstacles to dialogue, peace and reconciliation.
c) Cultural heritage as a vector of peace and development
Cultural heritage is an important element in the lives and identities of communities and people, a powerful component for the building of resilience that can serve as a basis for sustainable recovery and lasting peace. Safeguarding and when necessary rehabilitating
cultural heritage can contribute to heal the scars of war and rebuild society, allowing communities to recover a sense of hope, dignity and empowerment, including to ensure their future peaceful existence.
Cultural heritage can be the result of different civilisations and cultures and their mutual interactions. It is an expression of common ground and memory, a tool for reconciliation and social cohesion in which cultural institutions, civil society and local communities play an
essential role in ensuring education, freedom of expression and inclusive dialogue. In that perspective inter-cultural dialogue, including inter-faith dialogue, can contribute to heal the scars of war and rebuild society to ensure an adequate vision for the future.
Cultural heritage is also a driver of sustainability in an economic, social and environmental perspective. On the socio-economic side, it is an important asset to enhance sustainable development by providing employment opportunities and supporting economic livelihoods.
Sustainable cultural tourism, involving local communities in the decision-making process, can also ensure the good conservation and favour an informed and broader understanding of cultural heritage. Protecting cultural heritage is also embedded in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 11 “Sustainable Cities and Communities” and 16 “Peace Justice and strong institutions”.
The EU strategic approach for protecting and enhancing cultural heritage in conflicts and crises is not only about protecting historical evidence of civilisations: but it is vital for peace, security resilience and development of communities. On that basis, EU engagement in the field should be inspired by an operational approach and guiding principles, as defined below. - EU operational approach for cultural heritage in conflicts and crises
In line with its integrated approach to security and peace, the EU recognises the need to take into account cultural heritage throughout all phases of conflicts and crises – in prevention, crisis response, stabilisation and longer-term peacebuilding and recovery process with a cross-cutting approach that includes: security, peace, development, humanitarian, economic, etc. The following developments present the possible areas of future EU engagements in the field.
a) Cultural heritage and preventive actions
Inventories and data collection. Awareness of cultural heritage is the first step to safeguard it.
The EU should seek to support the development and availability of national and local inventories as indispensable ways to protect and preserve cultural heritage. The objectives of these inventories, as ongoing and living records, are to identify and describe heritage, be it
tangible or intangible, in a given zone and with a particular scope (sites, collections of museum, artefacts, galleries, libraries, archives). They can be managed through data collection activities (satellite imagery, remote sensing, excavations, recordings, etc.), for which digital technologies can offer important opportunities, in terms of long-term preservation, data management as well as access to culture for the general public.
Cultural policies and local capacities building. In line with the international standards for the protection of cultural heritage, the EU should seek to raise awareness and capacity of States and local communities to uphold their obligations and responsibilities to preserve cultural heritage, including through the support to the development of national legislations, administrative rules and dedicated crisis management plan and digital platforms for cultural heritage to participatory governance and to institutional and professional capacity building, including line ministries for culture, justice and security sectors. In that perspective, the EU should foster collaboration and exchange of information of private, academic and
governmental actors on and between local, regional and multilateral level.
Preventive diplomacy. The EU needs to take into account cultural heritage in its various tools for preventive diplomacy (especially by integrating indicators in conflict analysis, early warning system, etc.) in order to develop a solid and holistic understanding of the context and the actors.
Education and fight against disinformation. The EU should seek to take into account cultural heritage, be it tangible or intangible in its engagement on fighting against disinformation, with the objectives to prevent the eruption or mitigate the escalation of conflicts and crises.
To that end, the EU could support the development of local coordinated networks for cultural heritage (civil society organization, local communities, religious and faith-based associations). The EU could also support the role of the civil society and media (including
social media) as part of education and peacebuilding efforts around cultural heritage, including in educating people about the cultural heritage of minority groups and in promoting exchanges and collaboration between local communities.
Preparedness and mitigation measures. Anticipating the potential threat to the preservation of cultural heritage through preparedness and mitigation measures is also essential and important. In this context, the EU should seek to support activities and measures to be taken in advance, in order to ensure effective response to the impact of conflicts and crises on cultural heritage.
b) Cultural heritage and safeguarding measures
Emergency measures. The EU should seek, whenever possible, to support emergency measures to safeguard cultural heritage with an objective of stabilisation and peace. These measures are meant to ensure the physical protection of cultural heritage and prevent its
destruction. It can take the forms of immediate safeguarding (as for instance refuges as described below) or advisory missions. The protection of cultural heritage is enshrined in International Humanitarian Law, and therefore should be seen as a humanitarian
responsibility for which measures to support compliance with International Humanitarian Law and related instruments should be used when deliberate destruction is imminent or occurs.
Refuges for endangered cultural property (safe havens). The EU should consider, in due circumstances and in accordance with the international legal framework and best practices [5], to support the establishments of safe havens. These temporary refuges are commonly defined as “facilities created in order to care for cultural material that has been endangered by armed conflict, natural disasters, illegal excavation, or other insecurity and has therefore been removed for safekeeping and preservation from the territory of the source state to the territory of another state or to a place of safety in the source state” [6].
5 UNESCO Guidelines for the Implementation of the 1999 Second Protocol to the 1954 Hague Convention
6 International Law Association, Guidelines for the Establishment and Conduct of Safe Havens, Resolution No. 2/2008 of 2008
Dialogue and mediation. The EU should seek to include cultural heritage as an important aspect in dialogue and mediation efforts, as a direct or a cross-cutting issue, considering its strong symbolic importance for both the State and its local communities. In intra-state and identity driven conflicts cultural heritage will need to be addressed in conflict resolution efforts. Grievances can be addressed through local mediation initiatives that integrate cultural heritage, intercultural and interfaith dialogue, as a tool for healing, turning this powerful signifier into a channel of respect and tolerance. If appropriate, the EU will use the collaboration in the protection of cultural heritage as a confidence building measure between religions, communities, ethnic groups and states.
Fighting against trafficking in cultural property. The EU should pursue and enhance its fight against the illicit import, export and transfer of ownership of cultural property, resulting from theft from cultural heritage institutions or private collections, looting of archaeological sites and displacement of artefacts. Looting of cultural heritage and trafficking of cultural properties represents a major security concern, as it is a way to access to funds, including for the financing of criminal or terrorist activities, and it is often linked with money laundering.
The EU needs to enhance its engagement to fight against trafficking of cultural property as a way to foster security and help the stabilization process in conflicts and crises. On the basis of the already established instruments in the field [7], the EU should seek to support sound
legislative frameworks aligned within international laws. International cooperation and a solid base of evidence and well-targeted projects are needed. A way of engagement should also consist in ensuring that the relevant law enforcement agencies (especially customs, border management and police services) are trained, equipped, and aware of their missions and cooperate in the most efficient manner. Inter connected databases of stolen artefacts, in coordination with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), institutional capacity building, state and non-state actor’s awareness and subsequent training are essential to this endeavour. In that respect, the EU should seek to make available the expertise in the field of archaeology and art history across the EU to increase the capacity of the enforcement authorities (in particular customs and police officers).
c) Cultural heritage and recovery processes
Reconstruction, restauration, revitalisation. Recovery involves reconstructing, restoring or revitalising the state of intangible and tangible heritage, as well as its economic, physical, social, and environmental assets, systems and activities. The EU should seek to engage on this field in line with best practices [8], principles of sustainable development and principles of build back better with a prerequisite to consult local communities on their need and to understand the historic and cultural significance, as well as socio-economic dimensions.
Decisions for reconstruction of heritage should be carefully made and if appropriate, linked to the transmission of knowledge and skills related to traditional building techniques, also with the aim of sustainable job creation and poverty alleviation, while systematically assessing the
needs of the local communities (recourse to preliminary survey conducted among local communities in order to identify their needs and on reconstruction options could be envisaged).
7 EU-Regulation on the import (EU/2019/880) and export (EU/116/2009) of cultural property, as well as the EU Regulations on Iraq and Syria
8 Best practices to be mentioned : 1: Warsaw Recommendation on Recovery and Reconstruction of Cultural Heritage, 2018, https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/1826 ; 2: PATH – Peacebuilding Assessment Tool for Heritage Recovery and Rehabilitation developed by ICCROM, 2021, https://www.iccrom.org/news/path-tool-directingheritage-recovery-sustainable-peace
Development and long-term economic asset. In a mid and long term perspective and in line with the humanitarian- development-peace nexus, the EU should seek to engage in recovery phase to take into account the economic aspects of cultural heritage, including job creation and the revenues stemming from cultural industries and tourism. The synergies between cultural heritage and economic development are multiplied when communities are involved in the process, for instance through participatory governance, promoting cultural heritage as a shared resource and a common good. Local communities should be engaged at all stages of
the process and should be consulted to best assess their expectations and needs. The promotion of cultural and creative industries should facilitate the know-how transmission between generations.
Inter-cultural dialogue. Inter-cultural dialogue, including interfaith dialogue, is of pivotal importance during and in the aftermath of conflicts and crises. The EU should seek to engage in supporting inter-cultural dialogue and inter-faith dialogue as a catalyst for reconciliation,
learning to live together peacefully and constructively in a multicultural context, developing a sense of community, belonging and mutual trust to envisage a peaceful common future.
Projects on raising awareness through education, network of civil society with an objective of reconciliation should also be considered. Engaging on cultural heritage also is for the EU a way to open channels of dialogue with a various range of stakeholders (States, local communities, international stakeholders, etc.).
- EU principles of engagement for cultural heritage in conflicts and crises
a) EU to promote the international legal framework to protect cultural heritage
A driving force of EU’s engagement is promoting the respect for international law, principles and norms to protect cultural heritage. Cultural heritage has been integrated in international law through various conventions, and is enshrined in International Humanitarian Law that considers any deliberate destruction of cultural heritage as an unlawful attack on the past and present of humanity [9]. Cultural heritage is also linked to the concept of “common heritage of
humanity”, which should be protected from destruction and held in trust for future generations [10]. In that respect, engaging in the protection and enhancement of cultural heritage in conflicts and crises also presents a concrete opportunity for the EU to help realise its commitment to the responsibility to protect. Thereby, the EU should promote the respect of this international legal framework when engaging with third States.
9 The Rome Statue of the International Criminal Court confers the Court with jurisdiction over various crimes against or affecting cultural heritage, where they constitute or form part of war crimes, crimes against
humanity, genocide or the crime of aggression. . A complete analysis is provided in the Draft Policy on cultural heritage from the Office of the prosecutor of the ICC, available at https://www.icccpi.int/itemsDocuments/2021-03-22-otp-draft-policy-cultural-heritage-eng.pdf
Also recalled by UN Security Council in its Resolution 2347 (2017) of 24 March 2017, “directing unlawful attacks against sites and buildings dedicated to religion, education, art, science or charitable purposes, or historic monuments may constitute, under certain circumstances and pursuant to international law a war crime and that perpetrators of such attacks must be brought to justice.”
10 UNESCO Declaration of the Principles of International Cultural Cooperation (1966), article 1: “all cultures form part of the common heritage belonging to all mankind”; Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (the Hague Convention 1954), preamble: “cultural heritage of all mankind, since each people makes its contribution to the culture of the world”.
b) EU to promote partnerships and multilateralism
The EU seeks to work in partnership with relevant international and regional organisations, as well as with civil society when promoting the protection of cultural heritage in conflicts and crises.
Strengthening partnerships with international organisations is at the core of the EU’s external relations, including through alliances with likeminded countries and issue-by-issue coalitions with other partners. Regarding cultural heritage, partnership relations with the United Nations (UN), and in particular its specialised agencies, the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC) are key.
Cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Council of Europe (CoE) are also of importance, as well as regional organisations (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, African Union, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Arab League, Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, etc.) is another main pillar of the EU’s approach to partnerships, drawing on mutual learning, sharing of regional, national and local experiences, as well as strategic collaboration.
Strategic policy dialogue, as well as regular exchanges with relevant intergovernmental organisations (such as International alliance for the protection of heritage in conflict areas, International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property, International Council on Monuments and Sites, International Council of Museums, World Custom Organizations, etc.), civil society organizations, including local religious communities and faith-based organisations and the academic world are priority avenues to address issues of protection and enhancement of cultural heritage.
c) Coherence among EU policies and instruments
The EU has a wide array of policies and instruments at its disposal to respond to these challenges – spanning the diplomatic, security, defence, financial, trade, development cooperation, civil protection and humanitarian aid fields. When the EU engages on cultural heritage in a given context, attention is paid to ensure coherence among the policies and
instruments it uses, as well as to ensure a viable contribution toward sustained peace.
The EU and its Member States should seek to ensure a coordinated and effective contribution to sustained peace. EU Member States have substantial expertise and engagements on protecting and enhancing cultural heritage in third countries on which the EU can rely and
build on to maximise the impact of its action. Together, the EU and its Member States can play an essential role in the protection and enhancement of cultural heritage, supporting international, regional, national and local initiatives.
d) Supporting a multi-track approach with attention to national and local ownership
There is a need for a multi-stakeholder approach, and the EU should engage when it has a comparative advantage in relation to other actors and where it can make a useful contribution to sustained peace.
When engaging in cultural heritage in conflicts and crises, the EU recognises the need for joined-up actions, at strategic and operational levels between cultural heritage specialists, diplomats, national authorities, civil society and the international community engaged in development activities as well as crisis management and/or civil protection and humanitarian
operations.
The EU recognises the importance of national and local ownership. Community engagement and community ownership are key determinants to make cultural heritage protection and enhancement sustainable. The EU should always assess the impact on local communities when engaging on cultural heritage in conflicts and crises.
e) Inclusion, empowerment of women and youth
Destruction and looting of cultural heritage are often accompanied by other serious attacks against human dignity and human rights. An inclusive approach in engaging in cultural heritage in conflicts and crises is fundamental.
Inclusive approaches deliver strategic value by providing entry points for dialogue, fostering legitimacy and building trust between communities. Due to the particular political sensitivity and highly complex nature of cultural heritage, the EU should analyse the best way to engage in the most inclusive manner thereby making outcomes and agreements more durable. There
is a need to draw particular attention to the involvement and role of women and youth and vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities when engaging on cultural heritage in conflicts and crises. The EU encourages a fully gender-sensitive approach for the engagements in the field, including the recognition of the work of female cultural heritage
practitioners, who often encounter gender discrimination in accessing cultural heritage and ensuring that their heritage is recognised in the first place.
Inclusive processes build social compacts and reconstitute social contracts through tangible and intangible cultural heritage. As an actor that systematically consults civil society as part of its approach to external action and as a promoter and supporter of multi-track approaches,
the EU favours all-of-society approaches to sustaining peace that focuses on giving voice to all groups and leaving no-one behind.
f) Conflict sensitivity and “do no harm” principle
Conflict sensitivity is a key guiding principle for EU engagement. In conflictive regions, cultural heritage is used as a political instrument, rapidly altering heritage landscapes. The crafting of singular and non-pluralistic narratives can fuel conflicts, neglect and transform cultural sites and intangible cultures, in ways that will shape the future. Cultural heritage
should be increasingly integrated into competing systems of power and politics, and when engaging in the field, the EU should be particularly alert to ensure conflict sensitivity at all stages.
The EU is further guided by the do no harm principle ensuring that its actions are fully conflict sensitive and do not reinforce any negative dynamics. The EU should ensure that its interventions in the area of cultural heritage are not instrumentalised by any actor, do not
exacerbate social tension unintentionally, do not promote singular narratives, do not deepen group trauma or suffering and do not create the conditions for corruption or the abuse of aid and related project resources. The risk of non-engagement is also to be considered.
g) Complementarity between intangible and tangible heritage
The complementarity between tangible and intangible cultural heritage is of importance as intangible cultural heritage represents a central dimension of human life and identity. Any attempt to draw perspectives for cultural heritage as a component for peace has to take into account both sides.
Supporting intangible heritage should be seen as a complementary way to build common understanding, notably by enhancing inter-cultural and inter-faith dialogue, but also as a way to support local economies and create employment.
There is a need to pay a special attention to education as a first step to protect cultural heritage in the long term. The direct experience, analysis and study of cultural heritage ensure a stronger knowledge of it and the development of skills and competences related, inter alia, to its preservation and its promotion.
h) Coherence with natural heritage and climate change
Cultural heritage can be at risk in many ways, as a result of human action or natural disaster, unintended or intentional, or as a result of slow decay or of a sudden disaster. The effects of climate change are an increasingly present factor exacerbating natural hazards, exercising pressure on natural resources and the environment, further aggravated by biodiversity and ecosystems loss, over-exploitation of natural resources such as land and water, unsustainable management practices, and competition over their control [11].
Building on its extensive climate and environmental experience, it is necessary to factor the interlinkages between the effects of climate change and natural and cultural heritage in the
EU’s engagement [12].
- EU ways forward
a) EU to integrate cultural heritage in its political and diplomatic engagement
The EU should integrate cultural heritage in its political, diplomatic and legislative engagement, using all its political tools (statements, demarches, Council conclusions, etc.) to be vocal when preservation of cultural heritage is at stake in situation of conflicts and crises.
11 Council conclusions on risk management in the area of cultural heritage of 05 June 2020 recognizes that “climate change is a global phenomenon and a colossal challenge that has a major influence on cultural and
natural heritage, and that it is necessary, as far as possible, to undertake measures to prevent, mitigate, adapt to and, where possible, reverse negative impacts”
12 EU Council established on 12 October 2020 an Open Method of Coordination (OMC) group of Member States’ experts on Strengthening Cultural Heritage Resilience for Climate Change with the objective to identify and exchange good practices and innovative measures for the protection of cultural heritage (including both tangible and intangible) in relation to climate change.
b) EU to integrate cultural heritage in its crisis management approach
The EU should integrate cultural heritage in its overall approach of crisis management, as a cross cutting component of all actions within the EU toolbox for conflicts and crises. The relevant EU operational and political framework should be updated by integrating cultural heritage: from conflict prevention (early warning system, conflict analysis, etc.) to
preparedness and mitigation measures (to response and recovery in order to cover the whole cycle of disaster), to crisis management operations, to peace-building processes and security strategies (political framework for crisis approach, stabilization, mediation, dialogue, security sector reform, etc.).
In the framework of the Integrated Approach to external conflicts and crises, Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions and operations can play a major role in the protection of cultural heritage in conflicts and crises zones. On civilian CSDP missions and operations and in line with the civilian CSDP Compact, a mini-concept on security challenges
related to the protection of cultural heritage will be elaborated, presenting areas of civilian CSDP engagement in this field (as a cross cutting issue or as a dedicated engagement), taking into account lessons learnt from other entities’ experiences.
c) EU to integrate cultural heritage in its external action’s engagement
Whenever relevant, the EU should use the means provided by the adoption of the Multiannual Financial Framework for the period 2021-2027 to integrate cultural heritage as a component for peace and development in its programming exercise, especially through the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) under its
different components (geographic, thematic and rapid response pillars)..
d) EU to enhance the interlinkage between cultural heritage, peace and
development
The EU should seize all the opportunities in international, regional and local fora, to raise awareness on the importance of cultural heritage as a component for peace and promote building bridges between culture and defence/security communities. The EU should accordingly promote the international legal framework through its various instruments towards the protection and enhancement of cultural heritage in conflicts and crises.
EU Member States are prominent actors with a wide range of expertise and engagements in the field and can create unique entry points for EU actions across the globe. The EU needs to seize the opportunity of the substantial expertise to develop joint approaches, trainings, enhanced engagements and promote coordination of the different capabilities of membership countries in the protection of cultural heritage to advance peace and security.
The European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) is also an important EU network with relevant expertise that might be mobilized. The Cultural Relations Platform could also support EU cooperation with third countries in this field, through its extensive expert network inside and outside the EU. Moreover, Non-Governmental Organisation community, civil society and academic actors represent a dimension on which the EU should capitalize on. The EU should also encourage and support the emergence of a European community of practice bringing together cultural heritage experts and peacebuilding experts in order to foster exchanges between them, and to facilitate sharing lessons learned and good practices in using cultural heritage to contribute to peace and reconciliation.
e) EU to monitor its actions on cultural heritage in conflicts and crises
The relevant EU actors will create an informal inter-service task force for cultural heritage in conflicts and crises, with key experts on the field who can mobilise expertise, facilitation and thematic competence, and elaborate knowledge products. This task force will be coordinated by the European External Action Services and would gather experts from the European
External Action Service and relevant Commission services, building on and benefiting from the experience of the relevant inter-service groups on culture managed by European Commission services.
Through the EU task force on cultural heritage for cultural heritage in conflicts and crises, the EU should, monitor the results of the actions and initiatives undertaken on cultural heritage in conflicts and crises on a regular basis, with a view to draw lessons from these experiences
and identify good practices.