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USCBS Launches Annual Membership Campaign for 2015

The Blue Shield is the internationally recognized symbol used to mark protected cultural property during war and armed conflict. USCBS is the only organization that unites members from all cultural property professions and disciplines, cultural heritage institutions, government agencies, emergency services, and the armed forces to address critical issues in cultural property protection for our nation.

We can’t do it without you! Join now! »

The success of the USCBS depends on the support of our membership. Only with memberships and donations can the USCBS continue to advocate for the protection of heritage collections in:

  • museums, libraries, and archives
  • monuments and works of art
  • houses of worship
  • archaeological sites, and
  • historic architecture.

Recent USCBS accomplishments include:

  • Monitoring U.S. implementation of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.
  • Documenting cultural heritage at risk during armed conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Mali, and Egypt, as well as other regions where there is U.S. military presence.
  • Coordinating Do Not Target Lists in the Middle East for the U.S. military and our allies.
  • Partnering with other cultural heritage organizations to provide cultural heritage training for U.S. military forces prior to deployment.
  • Celebrating the anniversary of the 1954 Hague Convention with the Smithsonian Institution at the USCBS annual meeting. Highlights »
  • Entering into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Smithsonian Institution in order to pursue common interests in the protection of cultural property in the U.S. and abroad.

To current and past members, thank you for supporting USCBS and your commitment to the protection of our shared heritage in collections and sites throughout the world. To future members, we look forward to your joining us in our mission!

By joining or renewing your membership today, you will continue to be a part of our effort to protect the world’s cultural heritage from destruction and theft.

See membership category descriptions » If you already know your category, choose below and submit. You will be able to choose to pay by paypal or credit card.


Select Membership Type


New Memorandum of Understanding between USCBS and the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA)

Nancy Wilkie, President of the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield, and Andrew Moore, President of the Archaeological Institute of America, President of the Archaeological Institute of America

Nancy Wilkie, President of the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield, and Andrew Moore, President of the Archaeological Institute of America, President of the Archaeological Institute of America

On January 8, 2015 Nancy Wilkie, President of the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield, and Andrew Moore, President of the Archaeological Institute of America signed an MOU linking the two organizations in their efforts to protect and preserve cultural sites, monuments and objects from harm during armed conflict. The MOU was signed during a meeting of the AIA Governing Board during its Annual Meeting in New Orleans.

Among the terms of the MOU are an agreement on the part of both organizations to work collaboratively to assist entities responsible for the protection of cultural sites, monuments and repositories in the case of armed conflict and natural disaster; to carry out programs for training military personnel in the law of armed conflict as it pertains to the protection of tangible cultural heritage; and to compile information concerning tangible cultural heritage located in conflict and disaster zones.

USCBS Board Member helps unearth Paul Revere Time Capsule

Centuries-old time capsule discovered during construction

The Huffington Post  | By
Posted: Updated:
time capsule paul revere
USCBS Board Member, Pamela Hatchfield, holding recently uncovered time capsule.

A chance discovery by a group of repairmen in Boston has led to the unearthing of a centuries-old time capsule, believed to have been buried there in the 1790s by Paul Revere and Samuel Adams.

The antique time capsule, which had been placed in a cornerstone of the Massachusetts State House, was discovered this week when workers who had been repairing a water leak at the building stumbled upon it, CNN reports.

Museum of Fine Arts conservator Pamela Hatchfield was promptly called in for her expertise, and on Thursday, after about seven hours of painstaking, backbreaking work, she — with the help of several workers — successfully extricated the almost cigar box-sized container from its burial place.

“I feel happy and relieved and excited,” Hatchfield told the Associated Press after the time capsule’s successful removal, “and really interested to see what’s in this box.”

time capsule

Massachusetts officials work to remove the time capsule from the cornerstone on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2014.

The time capsule is believed to have first been buried at the State House in 1795 by revolutionary war hero Paul Revere and Samuel Adams, who was the governor of Massachusetts at the time. It’s thought to be one of the oldest time capsules in the United States.

According to the Boston Globe, the antique container was unearthed once before, in 1855, when emergency repairs to the foundation reportedly led to its temporary removal. However, it hasn’t seen the light of day since.

As for what treasures the capsule may contain, Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin told CNN the box is known to house “a Paul Revere plate, papers, and coins from the 1600s,” among other artifacts. The condition of the container’s contents, however, remains unknown.

Galvin said that the capsule will be X-rayed and examined by experts, and its contents will likely be revealed to the public next week.

“Hopefully there will be no damage and we will be able to observe the artifacts that trace us back to the history not only just of this building, but of our Commonwealth and our country,” he told the Globe.

See article here »

More:

http://www.history.com/news/time-capsule-buried-by-paul-revere-and-sam-adams-discovered-in-boston

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/12/12/1795-time-capsule-buried-by-sam-adams-paul-revere-unearthed-in-boston-so-whats-inside/

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/paul-revere-time-capsule

The National Defense Authorization Act awaits the President’s signature!

The Senate and the House have passed the National Defense Authorization Act, which now awaits President Obama’s signature. The section of the act described below requires the Department of Defense to submit a report to Congress on its compliance with the 1954 Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, a treaty that the U.S. ratified in 2009. 

SEC. 1273. REPORT ON PROTECTION OF CULTURAL PROPERTY IN EVENT OF ARMED CONFLICT.

(a) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall submit to the congressional defense committees and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on efforts of the Department of Defense to protect cultural property abroad, including activities undertaken pursuant to the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.

(b) ELEMENTS OF REPORT.—The report required under subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1) A description of Department of Defense policies, directives, and regulations for the protection of cultural property abroad at risk of destruction due to armed conflict.

(2) A description of actions the Armed Forces have taken to protect cultural property abroad, including efforts to avoid damage to cultural property during military construction activities and effort made to inform military personnel about the identification and protection of cultural property as part of the law of war.

(3) The status and number of specialist personnel in the Armed Forces assigned to secure respect for cultural property abroad and to cooperate with civilian authorities responsible for safeguarding cultural property abroad, consistent with the requirements of the 1954 Hague Convention.

Smithsonian and USCBS sign a Memorandum of Understanding

SI/US Committee of the Blue Shield

Nancy Wilkie, President USCBS and Richard Kurin, Smithsonian’s Under Secretary for History, Art, and Culture

On September 19, 2014 the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield (represented by Nancy Wilkie, President USCBS) and the Smithsonian Institution (represented by Richard Kurin, Smithsonian’s Under Secretary for History, Art, and Culture) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding for the protection, preservation, and restoration of cultural sites, monuments and objects harmed during armed conflict and natural disasters. They also agreed to work collaboratively to carry out programs for training members of the armed forces of the U.S. and other nations in the law of armed conflict as it pertains to protection and preservation of tangible cultural heritage during armed conflict and natural disasters; to compile information concerning tangible cultural heritage located in conflict and disaster zones; and to share expertise and best practices on the diverse range of topics that affect preservation and protection of tangible cultural heritage during armed conflict and natural disaster.

Corine Wegener, the Smithsonian’s cultural heritage preservation officer and founding President of USCBS

Corine Wegener, the Smithsonian’s cultural heritage preservation officer and founding President of USCBS, who has carried out numerous training programs for the military under the auspices of USCBS, will continue to do so under this joint agreement.

emblem house committee

House bill calls for emergency import restrictions on Syrian cultural property

H.R.5703 — Protect and Preserve International Cultural Property Act (Introduced in House – IH)

HR 5703 IH

113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5703

To protect and preserve international cultural property at risk of destruction due to political instability, armed conflict, or natural or other disasters, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 13, 2014

Mr. ENGEL (for himself and Mr. SMITH of New Jersey) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Armed Services, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To protect and preserve international cultural property at risk of destruction due to political instability, armed conflict, or natural or other disasters, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Protect and Preserve International Cultural Property Act’.

SEC. 2. DEFINITION.

In this Act:

(1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES- The term `appropriate congressional committees’ means the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.
(2) CULTURAL PROPERTY- The term `cultural property’ has the meaning given in Article 1(a)-1(c) of the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, concluded at The Hague on May 14, 1954 (Treaty Doc. 106-1(A)).

SEC. 3. FINDINGS AND STATEMENT OF POLICY.

(a) Findings- Congress finds the following:

(1) Protecting international cultural property is a vital part of United States cultural
diplomacy, showing the respect of the United States for other cultures and the common heritage of humanity.
(2) International cultural property has been lost, damaged, or destroyed due to political instability, armed conflict, natural disasters, and other threats.
(3) In Egypt, recent political instability has led to the ransacking of its museums, resulting in the destruction of countless ancient artifacts that will forever leave gaps in humanity’s record of the ancient Egyptian civilization.
(4) In Iraq, after the fall of Saddam Hussein, thieves looted the Iraq Museum in Baghdad, resulting in the loss of approximately 15,000 items. These included ancient amulets, sculptures, ivories, and cylinder seals. Many of these items remain unrecovered.
(5) In Syria, the ongoing civil war has resulted in the shelling of medieval cities, damage
to five UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and the looting of museums and archaeological
sites. Archaeological and historic sites and artifacts in Syria date back more than six
millennia and include some of the earliest examples of writing.
(6) In Iraq and Syria, the militant group ISIS/ISIL has destroyed cultural sites and
artifacts, such as the Tomb of Jonah in July 2014, in an effort to eradicate ethnic and
religious minorities from contested territories. Concurrently, cultural antiquities that
escape demolition are looted and illicitly trafficked to help fund ISIS/ISIL’s militant
operations.
(7) In Mali, the Al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist group Ansar Dine destroyed tombs and
shrines in the ancient city of Timbuktu–a major center for trade, scholarship, and Islam in the 15th and 16th centuries–and threatened collections of ancient manuscripts.
(8) In Afghanistan, the Taliban decreed that the Bamiyan Buddhas, ancient statues carved into a cliff side in central Afghanistan, were to be destroyed. In 2001 the Taliban carried out their threat and destroyed the statues, leading to worldwide condemnation.
(9) In Cambodia, following the Khmer Rouge’s seizure of power in 1975 the Khmer
Rouge systematically destroyed many of Cambodia’s Buddhist temples, desecrated
statues, and destroyed Buddhist literature. The Khmer Rouge also destroyed mosques and nearly every Catholic church existing in the country.
(10) In China, during the Cultural Revolution much of China’s antiques were destroyed,
including a large portion of old Beijing. Chinese authorities are now attempting to rebuild portions of China’s lost architectural heritage.
(11) In Haiti, the 2010 earthquake destroyed art, artifacts, and archives important to the people of Haiti, and partially destroyed the 17th century Haitian city of Jacmel.
(12) The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami not only affected eleven countries, causing massive loss of life, but also damaged or destroyed libraries, archives, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as the Mahabalipuram in India, the Sun Temple of Koranak on the Bay of Bengal, and the Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications in Sri Lanka.
(13) The destruction of these and other cultural properties represents an irreparable loss of humanity’s common cultural heritage and is therefore a loss for all Americans.
(14) The United States Armed Forces have played important roles in preserving and
protecting cultural property. On June 23, 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt
established the American Commission for the Protection and Salvage of Artistic and
Historic Monuments in War Areas to provide expert advice to the military on the
protection of cultural property. The Commission formed Monuments, Fine Arts, and
Archives (MFAA) teams which became part of the Civil Affairs Division of Military
Government Section of the Allied armies. The individuals serving in the MFAA were
known as the `Monuments Men’ and have been credited with securing, cataloguing, and returning hundreds of thousands works of art stolen by the Nazis during World War II.
(15) The U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield was founded in 2006 to support the
implementation of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and to coordinate with the United States military, other
branches of the United States Government, and other cultural heritage nongovernmental organizations in preserving international cultural property threatened by political instability, armed conflict, natural, or other disasters.

(b) Statement of Policy – It shall be the policy of the United States to—

(1) protect and preserve international cultural property at risk of destruction due to
political instability, armed conflict, or natural or other disasters;
(2) protect international cultural property pursuant to its obligations under the 1954
Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and customary international law in all conflicts to which the United States is a party;
(3) prevent, in accordance with existing laws, importation of cultural property pillaged,
looted, or stolen during political instability, armed conflict, or natural or other disasters; and
(4) ensure that existing laws and regulations, including import restrictions imposed
through the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) of the Department of the Treasury,
are fully implemented to prevent the trafficking in stolen or looted cultural property.

SEC. 4. WHITE HOUSE COORDINATOR FOR INTERNATIONAL
CULTURAL PROPERTY PROTECTION.

The President shall appoint a White House Coordinator for International Cultural Property
Protection. The Coordinator shall—

(1) coordinate and promote efforts to address international cultural property protection activities that involve multiple Federal agencies, including diplomatic activities, military activities, law enforcement activities, import restrictions, and the work of the Cultural Antiquities Task Force established pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 (Public Law 108-199);
(2) submit to the appropriate congressional committees an annual report on interagency efforts to protect international cultural property based on information required under section 5 of this Act;
(3) provide policy recommendations, if necessary;
(4) resolve interagency differences in a timely, efficient, and effective manner; and
(5) work and consult with domestic and international actors such as foreign governments, nongovernmental organizations, museums, educational institutions, research institutions, and the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield on efforts to promote and protect international cultural property.

SEC. 5. INFORMATION ON ACTIVITIES TO PROTECT
INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL PROPERTY.

(a) Information on Activities of the Department of State To Protect International Cultural
Property- The Secretary of State shall submit to the White House Coordinator for International Cultural Property Protection information on efforts of the Department of State to protect international cultural property, including–

(1) activities undertaken pursuant to the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, including–

(A) procedures the Department has instituted to protect international cultural
property at risk of destruction due to political instability, armed conflict, or
natural or other disasters; and
(B) actions the Department has taken to protect international cultural property in
conflicts to which the United States is a party; and

(2) actions the Department has taken to protect international cultural property pursuant to other cultural property protection statutes, international agreements, or policies.

(b) Information on Activities of USAID To Protect International Cultural Property- The
Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) shall submit to the White House Coordinator for International Cultural Property Protection information on efforts of USAID to protect international cultural property, including activities and coordination with other Federal agencies, international organizations, and nongovernmental organizations regarding the protection of international cultural property at risk of destruction due to political unrest, armed conflict, natural or other disasters, and USAID development programs.
(c) Information on Activities of the Department of Defense To Protect International Cultural
Property- The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the White House Coordinator for International Cultural Property Protection information on efforts of the Department of Defense to protect international cultural property, including activities undertaken pursuant to the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, other cultural protection statutes, and international agreements, including–

(1) directives, policies, and regulations the Department has instituted to protect
international cultural property at risk of destruction due to political instability, armed
conflict, or natural or other disasters; and
(2) actions the Department has taken to protect international cultural property, including actions to avoid damage to cultural property through construction activities abroad.

(d) Information on Activities of the Department of Justice To Protect International Cultural
Property- The Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall submit to the White House Coordinator for International Cultural Property Protection information on efforts of the Department of Justice to protect both international cultural property and international cultural property located in, or attempted to be imported into, the United States, including activities undertaken pursuant to statutes and international agreements. Such information shall include the–

(1) statutes and regulations the Department has employed in criminal, civil, and civil forfeiture actions to prevent and interdict trafficking in stolen and smuggled cultural property, including investigations into transnational organized crime; and
(2) actions the Department has taken in order to ensure the consistent and effective application of law in cases relating to both international cultural property and international cultural property located in, or attempted to be imported into, the United States.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION FOR FEDERAL AGENCIES TO ENGAGE IN INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL PROPERTY PROTECTION ACTIVITIES WITH THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.

(a) In General- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Department of State, the
Department of Defense, USAID, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of
Justice, the Department of the Interior, the National Archives, the National Science Foundation, and any other agency that is involved in international cultural property protection activities are authorized to enter into agreements or memoranda of understanding with the Smithsonian Institution to temporarily engage personnel from the Smithsonian Institution for the purposes of furthering such international cultural property protection activities.
(b) Salaries and Expenses- The Federal agencies or departments specified in subsection (a) are authorized to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel from the Smithsonian Institution to assist such agencies or departments in their international cultural property protection activities, including in support of military or diplomatic missions and law enforcement efforts.

SEC. 7. GRANTMAKING AUTHORIZATION FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL PROPERTY PROTECTION ACTIVITIES.

The Secretary of State is authorized to make grants to private individuals or organizations for the purposes of international cultural property protection activities in areas at risk of destruction due to political instability, armed conflict, or natural or other disasters.

SEC. 8. EMERGENCY PROTECTION FOR SYRIAN CULTURAL PROPERTY.

(a) Presidential Determination- Notwithstanding subsection (b) of section 304 of the Convention on the Cultural Property Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 2603) (relating to a Presidential determination that an emergency condition applies with respect to any archaeological or ethnological material of any State Party to the Convention), the President shall apply the import restrictions referred to in such section 304 with respect to any archaeological or ethnological material of Syria as if Syria were a State Party to such Convention, except that subsection (c) of such section 304 shall not apply. Such import restrictions shall take effect not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(b) Definitions- In this section—

(1) the term `archaeological or ethnological material of Syria’ means cultural property of Syria and other items of archaeological, historical, cultural, rare scientific, or religious importance unlawfully removed from Syria on or after August 18, 2011; and
(2) the term `State Party’ has the meaning given such term in section 302 of the Convention on the Cultural Property Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 2601).

Breaking news: bill in House to protect cultural property

The Protect and Preserve International Cultural Property Act

Legislation to protect cultural property worldwide and curb ISIL funding by prohibiting import of Syrian antiquities was introduced into the House by Representatives Eliot L. Engel (D-NY) and  Chris Smith (R-NJ).

Mail Attachment-2For Immediate Release

November 14, 2014

Contacts:
Tim Mulvey (Engel) 202-226-9103
Jeff Sagnip (Smith) 202-225-3765

Engel, Smith offer bill to preserve cultural preservation preservation, curb ISIL funding

WASHINGTON, DC—Representative Eliot L. Engel (D-NY), the leading Democrat on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ), chair of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations today announced that they have introduced legislation to improve American efforts to preserve cultural property around the world and cut off one source of funding to ISIL.  The Protect and Preserve International Cultural Property Act (H.R. 5703) would take steps to coordinate efforts across government to preserve cultural artifacts where they may be threatened by conflict, instability, or natural disaster.

“Whether art or architecture or archived materials, cultural property plays a vital role in the heritage of peoples all around the world.  When these materials are lost because of war or natural disasters, they can never be replaced and parts of those cultures are lost forever,” said Rep. Engel.  “Since World War II, the United States has been a leader in protecting cultural property. Today, ISIL and other terrorist organizations have found a lucrative source of revenue in artifacts they traffic out of areas of conflict. America must respond by denying terrorists and criminals the ability to profit from instability by looting the world of its greatest treasures.”

Representative Smith underscored that too many times in world history aggressors have tried to erase the memory and identity of oppressed peoples.

“Our global cultural patrimony has all too often been targeted by extremists who want to wipe out the collective memories of ethnic and religious minorities from lands they seek to control and conquer,” said Rep. Smith. “Just this past July, ISIL destroyed the Tomb of Jonah in Iraq, which was a living link to the biblical prophet Jonah, on the site of the ancient Assyrian capital of Nineveh. The fight to preserve our common cultural heritage, as well as to deny extremists such as ISIL resources from the sale of blood antiquities, is yet another front on the global war against terror.”

The Engel-Smith legislation would create a White House Coordinator for International Cultural Property Protection to coordinate and promote efforts by multiple federal agencies, including diplomatic activities, military activities, law enforcement activities, and the work of the Cultural Antiquities Task Force.  It would also impose import restrictions on cultural property unlawfully removed from Syria, protecting the property at risk of loss or destruction at the hands of ISIS/ISIL and other international criminal and terrorist organizations.

The U.S. Armed Forces have long played important roles in protecting cultural property, including through Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives (MFAA) teams, known in the past as the “Monuments Men,” who were the subject of a recent film. The U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield supports implementation of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.

Cultural property has recently been lost in Egypt due to political instability, in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein, in Syria during the civil war, in Iraq and Syria due to ISIS/ISIL, in Mali and Afghanistan from radical Islamist activity, in Haiti from the 2010 earthquake, and as a result of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

September 2014 USCBS Annual Meeting

The 2014 Annual Meeting of the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield – celebrating the 60th anniversary of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict – was held in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution on September 19, at the Hirshhorn Museum.

Harry Ettlinger, a member of the U.S. Army’s Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives section of the Civil Affairs Division during WW II, presented the opening keynote address. Other highlights of the meeting included an address by Irina Bokova, Director General, UNESCO; the presentation of the first USCBS Award for Meritorious Military Service in Protection of Cultural Property to Brigadier General Erik Peterson, Commanding General US Army Special Operations Aviation Command; and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Smithsonian Institution and the US Committee of the Blue Shield.

Address of Richard Kurin, Under Secretary of History, Art and Culture

 

Photo: Michael R. Barnes

Good afternoon, I’d like to welcome all of you on behalf of the Smithsonian Institution and the

Hirshhorn Museum. We have a number of distinguished speakers with us today, including the board and membership of the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield, a number of cultural heritage colleagues from the U.S. government and the nonprofit sector, and representatives from the media. We are also very fortunate today to have with us Irina Bokova, Director General of UNESCO.

I’d like to give an especially warm welcome to our keynote speaker, World War II veteran Harry Ettlinger. Harry was a member of the U.S. military’s Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives teams, better known as the Monuments Men. It is very appropriate we have this meeting at the Hirshhorn as our current special exhibition Salvatore Scarpitta: Traveler features the work of another Monuments Man. A young Italian-American, Scarpitta had returned to Italy to attend art school and was imprisoned by the Fascist government. He escaped, joined the partisans, and later the U.S. Navy. Because of his classical art training and language skills, he was recruited into the Monuments Men and helped with the recovery of artworks in Italy until his discharge in 1946. I hope you will have time to see the Hirshhorn’s exhibition of Scarpitta’s work and learn about how his wartime experiences helped shape his art.

We’re gathered today to mark the 60th anniversary of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. Though it was drafted to address the destruction of heritage in World War II, the principles outlined in this historic treaty have never been more important than they are today. Just as it did in the formation of the Monuments Men, the Smithsonian and the U.S. museum community have an important role to play. For our part, the Smithsonian hosts training for U.S. military and U.S. Customs Enforcement personnel, provides emergency assistance for domestic and international institutions impacted by disasters, and partners in original research to discover better ways to prevent damage to heritage in natural and manmade disasters.

In recognition of the goals we share, we look forward to signing a memorandum of understanding between the Smithsonian and the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield acknowledging our mutual goal of engaging the wider cultural heritage community in protecting our shared cultural heritage.

We’re very pleased to sign this MOU with the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield. We began our relationship on the Haiti Cultural Recovery Project in 2010 and have continued to work together to organize training for the U.S. military to help meet our obligations under the 1954 Hague Convention.  As the Smithsonian affirms its commitment to protect cultural heritage in crisis situations, this MOU with the Blue Shield is a vital public private partnership and we look forward to working with them in the future.

 

Keynote Speaker Harry Ettlinger

 

Smithsonian Institute / U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield Annual Meeting 2014

Photo: Michael R. Barnes

Harry Ettlinger, a member of the U.S. Army’s Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives section of the Civil Affairs Division during WW II, presented the opening keynote address. He is one of the last remaining members of the Anglo-American Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives section that rescued thousands of works of art and other cultural treasures stolen by the Nazis during World War II. Born in Karlsruhe, Germany, Ettlinger fled to the U.S. in 1938 along with the rest of his family. He returned to Europe in 1945 as a private in the U.S. Army. His fluency in German soon led to his transfer to the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives section and supervision of operations for the return of seventy-three cases containing stained glassbelonging to Strasbourg Cathedral stored at the Heilbronn-Kochendorf salt mines. In addition to the art objects stored in the mines, Ettlinger found firecrackers, which the Nazis planned to set off when Hitler won the war. Before he left Germany Ettlinger said he got some miners to light them in celebration of the Fourth of July.

Harry Ettlinger in the Heilbronn-Kochendorf salt mines

Harry Ettlinger in the Heilbronn-Kochendorf salt mines

Among the numerous honors he has received are the National Humanities Medal in 2007; the 2012 Emma Lazarus Statue of Liberty Award of the American Jewish Historical Society; the Staufer Medal in Gold, the highest order of merit for service to his home State of Baden-Wuerttemberg in 2014; also in 2014 an honorary Ph.D. from Lafayette College in Pennsylvania; and the Congressional Gold Medal, Congress’ highest recognition for distinguished achievements and contributions. Ettlinger’s exploits served as the inspiration for the character named Sam Epstein in the film The Monuments Men.

Address of Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General, on the Protection and Preservation of Cultural Heritage in Syria and Iraq

Irina Bokova

Photo: Michael R. Barnes

As we celebrate 60th anniversary of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, culture is under attack in Syria, in Iraq, in Mali, in Libya.We are witnessing a campaign of ‘cultural cleansing’ in Iraq, cultural persecution of minorities, and systematic looting and illicit trafficking to finance extremist groups.

This war against culture is not new – Mr Harry Ettlinger has been eloquent about it – but we need to consider the needs of the ‘monuments men and women’ of today.

On 27 March, UNESCO held a special screening of “Monuments Men”, with the US Mission, followed by a high level expert panel on illicit trafficking.

There have been steps forward thanks to UNESCO’s 1970 Convention against Illicit trafficking of Cultural Property and the 1995 UNIDROIT Convention – but there remains much to be done to educate the art market, to halt wrongful acquisitions.

This is why in 2003, with the support of the US State Department, UNESCO launched a global Database of National Laws on Cultural Heritage – providing complete information in case of a legal question about the origin of an object.

On Iraq, UNESCO has organized several experts meetings, bringing together ICCROM, ICOMOS, ICOM, Interpol, the Customs Organization. We have launched, on the 17th of July, an Emergency Response Action Plan, starting with the creation of an online observatory.

UNESCO will host another expert meeting on 29 September, at the initiative of France and Iraq.

We have immediately shared coordinates of major cultural heritage sites with the United States, when in early August the US announced its intention to carry out air strikes in Iraq.

I have sent letters to all ministers of foreign affairs of all neighbouring countries, state parties and non-state parties to the 1970 Convention, as well as customs agencies, museums and auction houses, calling for heightened vigilance and control, in cooperation with the Iraqi delegation.

On June 17, July 28, August 8, I have made statements to raise awareness on the importance to protect culture, for instance the Citadel of Erbil, just inscribed on the world Heritage list.

In Syria, with support from the European Union and the Flemish Government of Belgium, we are working with all partners to create a monitoring mechanism to assess the state of heritage.

One year ago, I joined many of you for the launch of the ICOM Red List of Syrian Antiquities at Risk Emergency.

In Mali, UNESCO is now rebuilding the 14 destroyed mausoleums, in partnership with local communities.

This is our response to extremism and ignorance.

We can do more – I have called for consideration by the UN Security Council of a resolution to set an international ban on trade in Syrian cultural objects. We need to ring the bell louder, to ensure respect of the 1954 Hague Convention, and we work with the International Criminal Court in Mali to bring those responsible of destructions to justice.

Our biggest enemy may be the false pretext that in emergencies, one should leave culture aside.

Attacks against culture are attacks against people, and this is why protecting heritage must be an integral part of all peace-building efforts, to safeguard a heritage of diversity and tolerance – to prepare the ground for reconciliation.

In this spirit, I thank all our partners here today for their commitment – including the Smithsonian Institution, our host, the United States Department of State, the Metropolitan Museum, and the United States Committee of the Blue Shield.

USCBS Award for Meritorious Military Service in Protection of Cultural Property

USCBS Peterson AwardFor the US Committee of the Blue Shield Award for Meritorious Military Service in Protection of Cultural Property, the USCBS Board considers men and women in uniform who during the course of military service demonstrate sophisticated understanding of the critical role of cultural property in force multiplication, stabilization in crisis areas, and ultimately in conflict resolution. The winner of this award will have implemented cultural property protection considerations during planning and execution of military missions.  Brigadier General Erik Peterson is the first winner of this award which is not necessarily given on an annual basis.

Acceptance Speech of Brigadier General Erik Peterson

Brigadier General Erik Peterson accepting the USCBS Award for Meritorious Military Service in Protection of Cultural Property

Brigadier General Erik Peterson, at the USCBS Annual Meeting, accepting the USCBS Award for Meritorious Military Service in Protection of Cultural Property, with Dr Nancy Wilkie – USCBS President at left, and Dr Laurie Rush – USCBS Board Member. Photo: Michael R. Barnes

Good afternoon friends – Director General Bokova, Dr Kurin, Dr Wilkie, U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield Members, and distinguished colleagues.

I am – very sincerely – humbled and honored to be here today. And a bit overwhelmed at being recognized by such an august group – and even more so – being recognized for simply being a teammate and supporting efforts that were and are clearly in the interest of the military missions I’ve been engaged in.

Add to that – sponsorship and generous hosting of this gathering by the Smithsonian Institution – an organization I’ve admired and benefitted from since childhood, and this magnificent venue – the Hirshhorn Museum a treasure in and of itself. In short – even an Old Soldier can be awe-struck.

While engaged in various assignments over the past several years – both in the US and abroad – it has been my great pleasure to learn from and engage with some amazing professionals and scholars – dedicated to the preservation of our troubled world’s rich cultural heritage. My natural shared interest in these things was honed and focused – in no small part -by my friend, colleague and cultural mentor, Dr Laurie Rush, and by engagement with the COCOM Cultural Heritage Action Group.

As a professional Soldier, I’m rather naturally a student of history, geography and culture. As an empathetic human being, I also appreciate art, religion, traditions and the rich diversity of our world’s peoples. My profession has afforded the opportunity to travel widely – mostly to the troubled places – to see and experience much of this – at times to witness the very best and the very worst of humanity – and to earn a sincere appreciation for your noble efforts.

To understand the vital nature of your work – one only has to see the effect and feel the visceral revulsion resulting from the wanton destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan, the looting of the Iraqi National Museum, demolition of the Al Askaria Shrine (more commonly known as the Golden Mosque) in Samarrah, the looting of antiquities and archeological sites during recent turmoil in Egypt. Or read reports of the artifacts of ancient Benin lost in the Nigerian conflict, and the burning of the rich, irreplaceable trove of manuscripts in Timbuktu. And most recently ISIS’s systematic and malicious destruction of shrines, temples, churches, mosques and other historic and culturally significant sites in North Eastern Syria and Northern Iraq – representing thousands of years of rich history of diverse races, religions and cultures.

Where your efforts and our collective teamwork are effectively applied, we can make a difference – Soldiers and their leaders become aware, respectful of, and actively protect irreplaceable cultural treasures – in the spirit of our colleague Corine Wegner’s efforts in Iraq, or Laurie Rush and team in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. To understand the tangible benefit one only has to see the joy and pride in Sammarah at the reopening of the rebuilt Golden Mosque, or the unifying and calming effect of the refurbished and secured Shah Maqsud Shrine in remote Khakrez, Afghanistan, the national pride of the reopening of the Iraqi National Museum or the Afghan museum displaying and sharing with the world the treasured Bactrian Gold Ornaments. Or, a bit closer to home – witness and feel the pride and solemn respect of Heads of State of the Onondaga, Oneida and Mohawk nations as they visit well protected and documented paleo-indian sites at Fort Drum, New York.

These efforts are not only morally right – in the eyes of the international community and enlightened people, and compliant with law and policy; but are they practical and effective militarily – they contribute directly to stabilization, unity, conflict termination and post-conflict resolution.

As such, US Army Special Operations Command is placing additional emphasis on the human dimension of competition and conflict, and investing in structure and organizations like the Institute for Military Support to Governance – and in our emerging doctrine and operational design, placing significant specified emphasis on culture as it relates to the causes, conditions and resolution of conflict.

Finally, I’d like to offer thank to Theresa Sims, an old friend, for her selfless efforts in organizing this event. And, most importantly, I must recognize our role models – represented here today by Harry Ettlinger. I’m terribly sorry that I wasn’t able to be here for your remarks – thank you for your courage and determination in the face of a daunting task. Our world is much richer because of you and your teammates’ efforts. We can only pray to do the same for our children.

Again, thank all of you for your efforts, leadership, and teamwork – we’ve come a long way, but much remains to be done. And thank-you for this recognition. I am truly humbled.

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Letter to USCBS from Congressman Engel

Although Congressman Engel was unfortunately unable to attend our annual meeting, he sent a letter of apology and expressed his approval and support of the efforts of USCBS to safeguard cultural heritage during times of armed conflict. 

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Meeting Program of Events

U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield and Smithsonian Institution Meeting Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict

Friday, September 19, 2014, 1:00-5:30 p.m.Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Ring Auditorium, Smithsonian Institution

  • Opening remarks by Richard Kurin, Under Secretary for History, Art, and Culture, Smithsonian Institution
  • Welcoming remarks by Nancy Wilkie, President US Committee of the Blue Shield
  • Keynote Speaker, Harry Ettlinger, member of the U.S. Army’s Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives section
    of the Civil Affairs Division during WW II
  • Major Tommy Livoti, speaking on behalf of Brigadier General Hugh Van Roosen, Institute for Military Support to Governance, John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, Fort Bragg, NC
    “Update on the 21st Century Monuments Men program”
  • Patty Gerstenblith, DePaul University: “The 1954 Hague Convention at 60,” and Laurie Rush, “Activities of the Combatant Command Cultural Heritage Action Group”
  • Congressman Eliot Engel, Ranking Member Senate Foreign Affairs Committee. Letter of support of the efforts of USCBS to safeguard cultural heritage during times of armed conflict, read on his behalf by Patty Gerstenblith
  • Irina Bokova, Director General, UNESCO
  • International Updates Panel: Salam Al Kuntar, University of Pennsylvania (Syria); Susan Wolfinbarger, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) (Syria and Cambodia/Thai Border Situation); Katharyn Hanson, (AAAS), (Iraq); Corine Wegener, Smithsonian Institution (Mali, Egypt); Sarah Parcak, (National Geographic Society), (Egypt); Amr Al Azm, Shawnee State University, (Syria) and Brian Daniels (“Building Community and Capacity for the Study of Cultural Heritage in Conflict”, National Science Foundation Project)
  • Presentation of USCBS Award for Meritorious Military Service in Protection of Cultural Property to Brigadier General Erik C. Peterson, Commanding General, US Army Special Operations Aviation Command
  • Richard Kurin and Nancy Wilkie – Signing of Memorandum of Understanding between the Smithsonian Institution and the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield

First Aid to Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis

Course Announcement

fAC 2015 partner logos
First aiders in action

Culture cannot wait!

Dates: 30 March-24 April 2015; four-week course

Application deadline: 22 September 2014

Place: Amsterdam with study visits to other cities in the Netherlands

Organizing partners:

In cooperation with:

The Course

According to the Emergency Events database EM-DAT, from 2000-2012, around 2.9 billion people were adversely affected by disasters caused by natural hazards (e.g., earthquakes, floods, storms etc.). Another 1.5 billion people are living in countries afflicted with civil strife and violent conflicts, states theWorld Development Report of 2011. The resultant damage and loss to life and property, including those to cultural heritage, are rising.

For communities ripped apart by such catastrophes, cultural heritage has the potential to bridge communal divides and provide sense of continuity as well as identity during an unfolding humanitarian crisis. Yet, is it possible to safeguard cultural heritage while humanitarian aid and security operations are underway? When is the right time to intervene? How could we ensure that cultural recovery becomes a force for stabilization and building back better?

First Aid to Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis aims to equip participants with necessary skills and knowledge to provide timely response in emergency situations. The training identifies areas of joint programming between culture and humanitarian sectors to make certain that the affected communities participate in their own recovery. Developing cost effective strategies for risk reduction and disaster preparedness of cultural heritage forms a core component of the training.

The hands-on approach to topics such as damage assessment, salvage and first aid measures for sites and collections, helps participants in making informed decisions under pressure. The overall pedagogy relies on participants’ experience and knowledge for building a sensitive and inclusive approach to cultural protection during emergency situations.

Post-training, participants will be invited to submit proposals to carry out projects in their respective countries and the selected proposals will get seed grants from the Cultural Emergency Response Programme of the Prince Claus Fund, the Netherlands. The aim will be to use knowledge obtained from this course to strengthen capacities for disaster response to cultural heritage at national or regional level.

Expected outcomes

At the end of the training, participants will be able to:

  • Explore the values associated with cultural heritage and the impact that disasters (natural and man-made) have on these values
  • Assess and manage risks to cultural heritage in emergency situations
  • Secure, salvage and stabilize a variety of cultural materials
  • Take preventive actions to reduce the disaster risk and improve response
  • Identify the relevant legal instruments which are applicable to disaster risk management of cultural heritage at the international, national and regional scale
  • Communicate successfully with the various actors involved, and work in teams

Methodology

The training will be both practical and participatory including group discussions, role plays, demonstrations, interactive lectures etc. Site visits and case studies will be used to improve the participant learning experience. Soft skills such as working in a team or negotiating for protecting cultural heritage in tense situations are progressively enhanced using simulated emergency situations throughout the course. The training will also include an online component.

Who should apply?

The course invites the participation of professionals working in the fields of cultural heritage and humanitarian assistance. It is aimed at professionals working within a variety of sectors:

  • Cultural and humanitarian aid organizations
  • Libraries, museums, archives, sites
  • Departments of antiquities or archaeology
  • Religious and community centres, etc.
  • Military and civil defense (especially those personnel, who have the responsibility of safeguarding cultural heritage during emergency situations)

A maximum of 20 participants will be selected.

Teaching team

The multi-disciplinary and international teaching team will include professionals who have been working in emergency situations for protecting cultural heritage and providing humanitarian assistance.

Working language: English

Course fee: € 900 (Euro)

Travel, accommodation and living expenses

Participants are responsible for their round-trip travel costs to and from Amsterdam (the Netherlands), and for all living expenses. To cover the cost of living, including accommodation, participants should plan for a minimum allowance of approximately 1600 Euro for the entire duration of the course. Candidates are strongly encouraged to seek financial support from sources such as governmental institutions, employers and funding agencies.

Financial Assistance

The organizers in cooperation with Prince Claus Fund may offer a limited number of scholarships and travel grants to selected candidates who have been unable to secure funding from any other sources.

Application

In order to apply:

1. Please fill out the application form and send it together with your personal statement by e-mail.

2. Personal Statement: applicants are requested to provide a text (no more than 700 words) including a brief description of:

  • Previous experience, if any of facing an emergency situation that called for an immediate response to safeguard cultural heritage or if you live in a risk-prone region, describe the risks that your cultural heritage is exposed to;
  • Reasons for applying to the course: what the applicant hopes to learn from it and how it will benefit the applicant as well as her/his institution and country.

FAC 15
Collections Unit – ICCROM
Via di San Michele, 13
00153 ROME RM, ITALY
Fax: +39 06 58553349
E-mail: aidincrisis (at) iccrom (dot) org

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Smithsonian and Penn Cultural Heritage Center Organize Emergency Workshop and Training Program to Safeguard Syrian Cultural Heritage

August 14, 2014

Syria’s four-year civil war has led to the destruction of the country’s cultural heritage at an unprecedented rate. World Heritage sites, such as Krak des Chevaliers and the city of Aleppo, medieval Christian cemeteries and other archaeological sites and museums have been subjected to extensive raiding and looting.

To help protect these and other Syrian treasures, the Smithsonian and the Penn Cultural Heritage Center (part of the University of Pennsylvania Museum), in cooperation with the Syrian Interim Government’s Heritage Task Force, are working to offer assistance for museum curators, heritage experts and civilians working to protect cultural heritage inside Syria.

In late June, the organizations held a three-day training program, “Emergency Care for Syrian Museum Collections,” which focused on safeguarding high-risk collections. The program offered information on how to secure museum collections safely during emergencies, provided participants with basic supplies for packing and securing museum collections and began a dialogue among Syrian participants about emergency responses. The training was funded by the Smithsonian and the J.M. Kaplan Fund.

The program was facilitated by Corine Wegener, the Smithsonian’s cultural heritage preservation officer, Robert Patterson, an exhibits specialist at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, and Brian Daniels, director of research and programs at the Penn Cultural Heritage Center at the Penn Museum.

“The toll of the civil war on the people of Syria has been devastating, and international attention has rightly been focused on getting the country’s citizens the aid they need,” said Wegener. “But the country’s rich cultural heritage is also in danger, and workshops like these allow us to assist the professionals and activists who are on the ground caring for damaged and at-risk collections.”

About 20 people from several Syrian provinces attended the training. Workshop leaders were joined by Syrian scholars Salam Al Kuntar, a lecturer from the University of Pennsylvania, Amr Al Azm, chair of the Syrian Interim Government’s Heritage Task Force and associate professor at Shawnee State University, and Ali Othman, a researcher at the University of Paris. Technical assistance for the program was provided by the U.S. Institute of Peace and The Day After Association, a Syrian-led civil society nongovernmental organization.

“While it is very difficult for international heritage organizations to travel into Syria today, there are a number of Syrians who regularly risk their lives to protect their cultural heritage,” said Daniels. “This workshop and other efforts going forward are designed to support these individuals and their efforts.”

June’s emergency training program was a critical first step. The Smithsonian, Penn Museum’s Penn Cultural Heritage Center and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, with the cooperation of the Syrian Interim Government’s Heritage Task Force, are preparing to launch an extensive new project, which will document current conditions and future preservation needs and track and report intentional damage and destruction to cultural heritage sites in Syria.

About the Smithsonian

Since its founding in 1846, the Smithsonian Institution has been committed to inspiring generations through knowledge and discovery. The Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum and research complex, consisting of 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park and nine research facilities. There are 6,500 Smithsonian employees and 6,300 volunteers. There were 30 million visits to the Smithsonian in 2013. The total number of objects, works of art and specimens at the Smithsonian is estimated at nearly 137 million, including more than 126 million specimens and artifacts at the National Museum of Natural History.

About the Penn Cultural Heritage Center, University of Pennsylvania Museum

Dedicated to supporting cultural heritage initiatives, the Penn Cultural Heritage Center brings considerable experience in training, capacity building and basic research about cultural heritage and cultural policy. It has led several projects in conjunction with the U.S. government, including a research partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Mission to UNESCO to increase the empirical information known about the World Heritage program as it exists in the United States and abroad. PennCHC’s capabilities are enhanced by the world-class archaeological and anthropological faculty at the University of Pennsylvania and the curators of the Penn Museum.

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