Call for applications for the International Training on Documenting Damage to Cultural Heritage

Do you care about preserving cultural heritage during the war and want to bring to justice those who destroy cultural identity?

Then this training is for you! Both beginners and more experienced professionals in the field of cultural heritage protection will gain important knowledge and practical skills for documenting war crimes against culture.

The training will take place in Kyiv on April 7-11, 2025.

The training consists of theoretical sessions, practical assignments, discussions, and a field exercise.

This course will provide beginners and more experienced professionals in the field of cultural heritage protection with important knowledge and practical skills for documenting war crimes against culture, covering in particular the following main topics

• History and trends in documenting war crimes;
• Documentation of damage to cultural heritage: typology, procedures, practices, legislation, methodologies;
• Documenting crimes against heritage: methodology, tools, features, standards, procedures, challenges for international courts;
• The role of law enforcement and the military in documenting crimes against cultural heritage during armed conflict;
• Documentation of crimes against cultural heritage by the non-governmental sector;
• Interagency integration in documenting damage to cultural property;
• Documenting damage at a heritage site, collecting evidence, teamwork.

The participants will explore the experience of documenting, filing war crimes cases and prospects for justice in the Balkans, the United States, Syria, Mali, Ukraine and other countries, and will acquire practical skills in documentation processes and techniques.

Upon completion of the training, a group will be formed for the next stage - documenting damage and collecting evidence of crimes against cultural heritage in Ukraine to be submitted to the International Criminal Court and/or a national court with universal jurisdiction as a pilot project.

The trainers and speakers include experts in cultural heritage protection, IHL, lawyers, investigators, a former ICC prosecutor, and military officers from Ukraine, the United States, the Netherlands, Sweden, Kosovo, and other countries.

The number of participants is limited, preference will be given to those who have a profession and/or experience in documenting damage, losses, violations against cultural heritage during the war, as well as the ability and desire to join the team to collect evidence to be provided to the International Criminal Tribunal.

Participants will be provided with travel, accommodation, and meals for the duration of the event.

To apply, please fill out the application form by March 28, 2025: https://forms.gle/CKzNfTcC7qg35ADm7

Selected participants will be notified in writing no later than March 31, 2025 with detailed information about the training.

Training organizers: National Museum of the Revolution of Dignity, Agency for Cultural Resilience (ACURE), Cultural Heritage without Borders (CHwB), Atrocities Crime Advisory Group for Ukraine (ACA - ICJI) with the support of the Swedish Institute and Cultural Emergency Response.