READY Track 1: Resilience for Heritage in the Face of Disasters, Climate Risks and Complex Emergencies

READY track 1: Safeguarding Heritage Collections, Living Traditions and Practices in the face of Disasters, Extreme Weather Events and Complex Emergencies is conceived as a hybrid course. This interdisciplinary training emphasizes a systems-based approach to managing risks to heritage collections—whether in museums, libraries, archives, or places of worship—as well as to living traditions and associated knowledge systems.

Recognizing that disasters do not occur in isolation and that heritage institutions may not always have immediate support, a core component of the course will focus on cross-sector cooperation and coordination among disaster risk management, climate science, civil protection, armed forces, and heritage agencies before, during, and after disasters.

The course will provide participants with the knowledge and skills to assess and mitigate disaster and conflict risks to movable and living heritage, factoring in key risk drivers such as climate change and socio-economic vulnerabilities. By equipping participants with skills to tap into community-held traditional knowledge and practices, the training aims to engage local communities in safeguarding at-risk heritage while enhancing resilience and social cohesion.

Modules

• Assessing the significance of heritage collections in diverse contexts
• Recording oral histories and ensuring the intergenerational transfer of living heritage
• Assessing climate, conflict, and disaster risks to heritage collections, living traditions, knowledge systems, and associated communities
• Risk mitigation and emergency preparedness for movable and living heritage
• Cross-sector cooperation and coordination for emergency response
• First aid to movable and living heritage
• Post-crisis recovery
• Using heritage collections, living traditions, knowledge systems, and associated communities for building disaster and climate resilience

Phases

• The course will comprise 4 key phases:
  • Phase 1: Online Orientation and Introduction to Key Concepts
    • Dates: 16-20 hours per week over 4 weeks, with half-day sessions (Mon-Thu) between the end of May and the end of June 2025.
  • Phase 2: Three-Week In-Person Training on Movable and Intangible Cultural Heritage
    • Dates: Starting after July 15, 2025. The training will span 15 days, with one day off between each week. Participants are advised to seek approval from their respective employers for a minimum stay of 17 days in Riga, Latvia. Exact dates will be provided upon selection.
    • Location: Riga, Latvia
  • Phase 3: Follow-up Field Projects Implemented by Participants
    • Dates: August 2025 – February 2026
  • Phase 4: International Online Meeting for Dissemination of Field Project Outcomes
    • Dates: To be decided upon completion of the follow-up field projects.

Eligibility Criteria

• They invite applications from diverse professionals who are interested in this unique and extensive training and those who wish to make a difference by protecting at-risk heritage and serving their respective communities. Participants must be from countries participating in the Creative Europe programme.
• In particular, the course may be of interest to:
  • Professionals working to safeguard living traditions, knowledge, and practices, as well as heritage collections in diverse settings (museums, libraries, archives, archaeological or living heritage sites).
  • Cultural bearers and community leaders who are committed to safeguarding at-risk movable and living heritage.
  • Professionals working in fields such as civil protection, disaster risk management, climate change adaptation, fire risk management, and emergency response.
• Priority Considerations
  • Preference will be given to applicants who:
    • Must have full support from their employing institutions or local authorities to implement post-training field projects.
    • Should have prior experience in successfully safeguarding movable and living heritage following a disaster or conflict.

For more information, visit ICCROM.