We are just three weeks out from our 2026 Annual Conference, “The US Committee of the Blue Shield at Twenty: Two Decades of Protecting Cultural Heritage in Peril,” to be held in partnership with the Washington College of Law at American University in Washington D.C. Join us on Thursday, September 17th for a day of discourse, engagement, and future planning!
In-person and virtual registration is now open and further details are available here. Any questions can be directed to hq@uscbs.org.
We hope to see you in D.C. in a few weeks!
Conference Program
9:00 – 9:15 AM – Registration and Coffee
9:15 – 9:20 AM – Welcome
9:20 – 10:30 AM – Session 1: Annual Update from Around the World
Moderator: James Reap
Ali H. Nour (Sudan) · Joanne Farchakh Bajjaly (Lebanon) · Bijan Rouhani (Iran) · Milena Chorna (Ukraine)
10:30 – 10:45 AM – Break
10:45 – 12:00 PM – Session 2: The Use of Technology in Documenting Cultural Heritage Destruction
Moderators: Dr. Laurie Rush and Nancy Weiss
Mehrnoush Soroush (University of Chicago) · Katharyn Hanson (Museum Conservation Institute-Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative) · Ihor Poshyvailo (National Museum of the Revolution of Dignity, Ukraine) · Timothy Varley (USCBS Board)
12:00 – 12:30 PM – Response: Accountability under International Law for Destruction of Cultural Heritage
Moderator: Jane Levine
Anne-Marie Carstens (University of Baltimore)
12:30 – 1:45 PM – Lunch Break
1:45 – 2:00 PM – Signing of MOU between USCBS and ASOR
Dr. Jane DeRose Evans (ASOR President) · Dr. Patty Gerstenblith (USCBS President)
2:00 – 2:45 PM– Session 3: Protecting Cultural Heritage in Crisis: Twenty Years and Beyond. A Conversation with Dr. Richard Kurin (Distinguished Scholar and Ambassador-at-Large at the Smithsonian Institution) and Cori Wegener (Founder of USCBS and Current Board Member)
2:45 – 4:00 PM – Session 4: Protecting US Domestic Heritage
Moderators: Cori Wegener and Emilie Leumas
Stacy Bowe (Museum Conservation Institute-Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative) · Christina Cain (American Institute for Conservation) · Nana Kaneko (FEMA Heritage Emergency National Task Force) · Seth Tinkham (Dept. of Interior) · Jennifer Wellock (Dept. of Interior)
4:00 – 4:15 PM – Closing Remarks
4:15 – 6:00 PM – Closing Reception
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