News
Preventive Conservation of Museums Collections and First Aid to Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis
HERITAGE EMERGENCY FUND
CONCEPT NOTE
Activity
FINAL WORKSHOP ON PREVENTIVE CONSERVATION OF MUSEUMS COLLECTIONS AND FIRST AID TO CULTURAL HERITAGE IN TIMES OF CRISIS
Date and venue
Training
13 – 15 April 2021
Venue
Douala, Cameroon
Language :
English and French
Funding
UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund
Targets
Site and museum managers (Bafut, Babungo, Mankon, Lifafa, Goulfey, Mokolo, Yagoua)
Ministry of Arts and Culture (Central and decentralized services)
Civil society Associations involved in Heritage conservation in Northwestand Southwest regions
Other participants:
UNESCO Culture team
1. Background
The recent natural disasters as well as the crisis and humanitarian needs in Cameroon have raised concerns about community traditional systems, built heritage and collections. Most often represented by community museums, they are at serious risk (destruction and looting) and often very little documented and secured. In the Northwest and Southwest regions, because of the prolonged crisis, community structures become a target and heritage is caught in the crossfire of hostilities between belligerent parties, which threatened civilians as well as the building and the rich collections and caused damages (Palace and Heritage site) as well as looting at the museums. In the Far North region, the repeated insurgencies of the boko-haram terrorist grouphas exposed the museums to risk of destruction and looting as well. Some museums requested UNESCO assistance to secure their collection in the South West region. Additionally, in the North-West region, the BAFUT (Mezam Division), MANKON and BABUNGO Palaces, are also hosting priceless collections documenting the ‘Grassfields’ traditions and culture.
In order to strengthen the ability to prevent, mitigate and recover the loss of cultural heritage and diversity in emergencies, the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund provided a support to Cameroon in order to implement the pilot project entitled “Emergency assessment and urgent interventions at cultural heritage sites, museums and collections at risk in the North-West, South-West and Far North regions of Cameroon”. The Heritage Emergency Fund is a multi-donor and non-earmarked funding mechanism established by UNESCO to enable the Organization to respond quickly and effectively to crises resulting from armed conflicts and disasters caused by natural and human-made hazards all over the world.
UNESCO works to achieve this objective by strengthening the ability of Member States to prevent, mitigate and recover the loss of cultural heritage and diversity in emergencies and by advocating for the incorporation of the protection of culture into humanitarian action, security strategies and peace-building processes, including by harnessing the potential of culture to strengthen resilience and support recovery.
A technical rapid assessments were conducted in 7 areas (Bafut, Babungo, Mankon, Lifafa, Yaboua, Mokolo and Goulfey. During the assessment, a special attention was paid on the current conditions assessment of built heritage and security of museums and collections and the impact on the intangible heritage. The visible observations were cracks on walls, floor, leaking roofs, paint falling off, shattered windows and doors. The shrines in Bafut suffered desecration during the crisis. Some have been burnt (grass house shrines), others pulled out (Stone shrines), trees cut or shattered by bullets. The building of the museums has leakages and some of the collections destroyed by both human action and natural factors. The Anglophone and Boko Haram crisis halted cultural expressions (a lot of communities are displaced or are no more able to gather because of the conflict) and has a strong impact on the intangible heritage has well as well as in income generating activity which is cultural tourism.
This final workshop will contributing towards ensuring the protection of the museums collections and cultural heritage, through the provision of technical assistance and capacity building for enhance preventive conservation and implement emergency contingency plans for sites, museums and other collections.
Objectives
2.1. General Objective
The proposed concrete actions in this workshop will impact the status of cultural heritage on the short and medium terms by contributing to limit the looting of artefacts, securing sites, museums and collections, mitigating the complete destruction of heritage damaged by the conflict, securing built and movable heritage archives, documenting threatened intangible heritage and contributing to the post-conflict healing process. The workshop will also be an occasion to evaluate the implementation of the immediate responses to secure and stabilize heritage and the restoration activities that were identified during assessment. This will enable the effective evaluation of resources appropriated at each phase.
2.1. Specific Objectives
Train and build the capacities of the targeted sites and museums managers to empower them to administer first aid to cultural heritage in crisis with focus on the current conditions of built heritage and security of museums and collections.
Train and build capacity on how to reinforce security around the targeted sites and museums; especially the first preventive measures to apply in case of any attack.
Evaluate the activities on the field
2. Expected results
Report of the workshop
Evaluation form report on the Outstanding Universal Value, authenticity/integrity of sites and collections/objects and recommendations to be integrated into future security plans.
Ascertain human capital at community level, profiles of participants, to design the appropriate training and more appropriate communication/pedagogic strategy;
Ascertain first-hand knowledge on usage of tool kits for first aid to cultural heritage and application of preventive measures to ensure security.
A high-resolution photographic record, recommendations and material to inform promotional and fund‐raising brochures/video stories, to enhance heritage protection in crisis affected regions of Cameroon.
3. Implementation
Having achieved meaningful results through the assessment, considering the participation of the beneficiary’s perspectives which enhanced effective evaluation of existing capacities and identifying measures that facilitated response to identified needs. The activity at this final workshop will be centered on the training and capacity building on how to conserve preventively museums and their collection and provide first aid to cultural heritage in times of crisis and ensure security of objects in case of any attacks or emergencies. Because of the persistent situation of Covid-19, the project will no more rely on ICCROM expertise. However, the ICCROM and UNESCO resources and toolkits on first aid and culture and emergency will be used to meet the goals.
4. Key thematics
Preventive conservation of museum collection
First aid to cultural heritage in times of crisis
Operating tools for cultural heritage first aid and risk reduction during emergencies
Security, stabilisation and early recovery
Management of the security of sites and museums: experience sharing
Preparing local communities in adopting & operationalizing security plans.
Security procedures, documentation and monitoring of heritage conditions;
Technical training, in order to anchor such training into the national system and prepare for a wider national structured programme on prevention, risk preparedness, first aid and damages mitigation
TIME
DESCRIPTION
RESPONSIBLE
APRIL 12, 2021
11H – 14H
Expert Meeting
Mme Suzanne Pulcherie NNOMO ELA
Prof.Raymond ASOMBANG
Dr. Hugues HEUMEN TCHANA
Dr. Serge NOUKEU
Mr. Jean Roland ONANA NKOA
Ms. Chantal ELOUNDOU
Ms. Benis NCHANG
14H – 16H
Briefing with the Maritime Museum
APRIL 13, 2021
Moderator – Professor Raymond ASOMBANG (ICOMOS Cameroon President)
08H30 – 09H00
Registration of participants
Mrs Chantal ELOUNDOU/Benis NCHANG
09H00 – 09H15
Welcome/Opening remarks
MINAC/UNESCO
09H15 – 09H45
Presentation of participants + Logistics briefing on the workshop
Mrs Chantal ELOUNDOU/Benis NCHANG
09H45 – 10H00
Presentation of the workshop objectives and methodology to be implemented with the purpose of achieving the expected results
Jean-Roland ONANA NKOA (UNESCO)
10H00 – 10H30
Coffee Break
10H30 – 11H30
Management of museums : handling and maintenance procedures (for storage, exhibition, packing, transport, and use);
Prof.Raymond ASOMBANG
11H30 – 12H30
State of documentation of Museum’s collection (+ Discussions)
Dr. Hugues HEUMEN TCHANA
12H30 – 13H30
Lunch Break
13H30 – 14H30
Manner in which collections should be kept (+Discussion)
Prof.Raymond ASOMBANG
14H30 – 15H30
External influences (flooding, fire hazards, moisture, pest…)
Prof.Raymond ASOMBANG
14H30 – 15H30
External influences (flooding, fire hazards, moisture, pest…)
Prof.Raymond ASOMBANG
15H30 – 16H00
Concluding remarks for Day I
Mr. Jean Roland ONANA NKOA
APRIL 14, 2021
08H30 – 09H00
Recap of Day I
Ms. Benis NCHANG/ Rodrique ONGUENE
09H00 – 10H00
Introducing cultural heritage first aid
Mme Suzanne NNOMO Ela
10H00 – 10H30
Coffee Break
10H30 – 11H45
Post-event, on-site damage
and Risk assessment
Mme Suzanne NNOMO Ela
11H45 – 13H00
Security and stabilization
Dr. Serge NOUKEU
13H00– 14H00
Lunch Break
14H00 – 15H15
Early recovery phase to promote the recovery and rehabilitation of damaged cultural heritage
Dr. Serge NOUKEU
15H15 – 16H00
General Debate between Participants and experts – Conclusion of Day 2
Prof.Raymond ASOMBANG
APRIL 15, 2021
08H30 – 09H00
Recap Day 2
Ms. Benis NCHANG/ Rodrique ONGUENE
09H00 – 10H00
Security at museums
DR. HEUMEN TCHANA
10H00 – 10H30
Illustration : Security of the security of the Maritime Museum of Douala
Mr. EKWALLA
10H30 – 11H00
Coffee Break
10H30 – 11H30
Museum awareness for development
Prof.Raymond ASOMBANG
11H30 – 12H30
The use of ICT in the follow-up and monitoring of cultural sites
Mr. Jean Paul MBAMBA MBAMBA
Curator of LOBEKE National Park, World Heritage site, Expert and Trainer in monitoring protected areas by drones
12H30 – 13H00
Demonstration exercise with drones
MINAC Regional Delegation
13H00 – 13H30
Demonstration on the use of fire extinguishers
MINAC Regional Delegation
13H30 – 14H00
Summary of discussions and closure
MINAC / UNESCO
14H00
Lunch and farewell
CONCEPT NOTE
Activity
FINAL WORKSHOP ON PREVENTIVE CONSERVATION OF MUSEUMS COLLECTIONS AND FIRST AID TO CULTURAL HERITAGE IN TIMES OF CRISIS
Date and venue
Training
13 – 15 April 2021
Venue
Douala, Cameroon
Language :
English and French
Funding
UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund
Targets
Site and museum managers (Bafut, Babungo, Mankon, Lifafa, Goulfey, Mokolo, Yagoua)
Ministry of Arts and Culture (Central and decentralized services)
Civil society Associations involved in Heritage conservation in Northwestand Southwest regions
Other participants:
UNESCO Culture team
1. Background
The recent natural disasters as well as the crisis and humanitarian needs in Cameroon have raised concerns about community traditional systems, built heritage and collections. Most often represented by community museums, they are at serious risk (destruction and looting) and often very little documented and secured. In the Northwest and Southwest regions, because of the prolonged crisis, community structures become a target and heritage is caught in the crossfire of hostilities between belligerent parties, which threatened civilians as well as the building and the rich collections and caused damages (Palace and Heritage site) as well as looting at the museums. In the Far North region, the repeated insurgencies of the boko-haram terrorist grouphas exposed the museums to risk of destruction and looting as well. Some museums requested UNESCO assistance to secure their collection in the South West region. Additionally, in the North-West region, the BAFUT (Mezam Division), MANKON and BABUNGO Palaces, are also hosting priceless collections documenting the ‘Grassfields’ traditions and culture.
In order to strengthen the ability to prevent, mitigate and recover the loss of cultural heritage and diversity in emergencies, the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund provided a support to Cameroon in order to implement the pilot project entitled “Emergency assessment and urgent interventions at cultural heritage sites, museums and collections at risk in the North-West, South-West and Far North regions of Cameroon”. The Heritage Emergency Fund is a multi-donor and non-earmarked funding mechanism established by UNESCO to enable the Organization to respond quickly and effectively to crises resulting from armed conflicts and disasters caused by natural and human-made hazards all over the world.
UNESCO works to achieve this objective by strengthening the ability of Member States to prevent, mitigate and recover the loss of cultural heritage and diversity in emergencies and by advocating for the incorporation of the protection of culture into humanitarian action, security strategies and peace-building processes, including by harnessing the potential of culture to strengthen resilience and support recovery.
A technical rapid assessments were conducted in 7 areas (Bafut, Babungo, Mankon, Lifafa, Yaboua, Mokolo and Goulfey. During the assessment, a special attention was paid on the current conditions assessment of built heritage and security of museums and collections and the impact on the intangible heritage. The visible observations were cracks on walls, floor, leaking roofs, paint falling off, shattered windows and doors. The shrines in Bafut suffered desecration during the crisis. Some have been burnt (grass house shrines), others pulled out (Stone shrines), trees cut or shattered by bullets. The building of the museums has leakages and some of the collections destroyed by both human action and natural factors. The Anglophone and Boko Haram crisis halted cultural expressions (a lot of communities are displaced or are no more able to gather because of the conflict) and has a strong impact on the intangible heritage has well as well as in income generating activity which is cultural tourism.
This final workshop will contributing towards ensuring the protection of the museums collections and cultural heritage, through the provision of technical assistance and capacity building for enhance preventive conservation and implement emergency contingency plans for sites, museums and other collections.
Objectives
2.1. General Objective
The proposed concrete actions in this workshop will impact the status of cultural heritage on the short and medium terms by contributing to limit the looting of artefacts, securing sites, museums and collections, mitigating the complete destruction of heritage damaged by the conflict, securing built and movable heritage archives, documenting threatened intangible heritage and contributing to the post-conflict healing process. The workshop will also be an occasion to evaluate the implementation of the immediate responses to secure and stabilize heritage and the restoration activities that were identified during assessment. This will enable the effective evaluation of resources appropriated at each phase.
2.1. Specific Objectives
Train and build the capacities of the targeted sites and museums managers to empower them to administer first aid to cultural heritage in crisis with focus on the current conditions of built heritage and security of museums and collections.
Train and build capacity on how to reinforce security around the targeted sites and museums; especially the first preventive measures to apply in case of any attack.
Evaluate the activities on the field
2. Expected results
Report of the workshop
Evaluation form report on the Outstanding Universal Value, authenticity/integrity of sites and collections/objects and recommendations to be integrated into future security plans.
Ascertain human capital at community level, profiles of participants, to design the appropriate training and more appropriate communication/pedagogic strategy;
Ascertain first-hand knowledge on usage of tool kits for first aid to cultural heritage and application of preventive measures to ensure security.
A high-resolution photographic record, recommendations and material to inform promotional and fund‐raising brochures/video stories, to enhance heritage protection in crisis affected regions of Cameroon.
3. Implementation
Having achieved meaningful results through the assessment, considering the participation of the beneficiary’s perspectives which enhanced effective evaluation of existing capacities and identifying measures that facilitated response to identified needs. The activity at this final workshop will be centered on the training and capacity building on how to conserve preventively museums and their collection and provide first aid to cultural heritage in times of crisis and ensure security of objects in case of any attacks or emergencies. Because of the persistent situation of Covid-19, the project will no more rely on ICCROM expertise. However, the ICCROM and UNESCO resources and toolkits on first aid and culture and emergency will be used to meet the goals.
4. Key thematics
Preventive conservation of museum collection
First aid to cultural heritage in times of crisis
Operating tools for cultural heritage first aid and risk reduction during emergencies
Security, stabilisation and early recovery
Management of the security of sites and museums: experience sharing
Preparing local communities in adopting & operationalizing security plans.
Security procedures, documentation and monitoring of heritage conditions;
Technical training, in order to anchor such training into the national system and prepare for a wider national structured programme on prevention, risk preparedness, first aid and damages mitigation
TIME
DESCRIPTION
RESPONSIBLE
APRIL 12, 2021
11H – 14H
Expert Meeting
Mme Suzanne Pulcherie NNOMO ELA
Prof.Raymond ASOMBANG
Dr. Hugues HEUMEN TCHANA
Dr. Serge NOUKEU
Mr. Jean Roland ONANA NKOA
Ms. Chantal ELOUNDOU
Ms. Benis NCHANG
14H – 16H
Briefing with the Maritime Museum
APRIL 13, 2021
Moderator – Professor Raymond ASOMBANG (ICOMOS Cameroon President)
08H30 – 09H00
Registration of participants
Mrs Chantal ELOUNDOU/Benis NCHANG
09H00 – 09H15
Welcome/Opening remarks
MINAC/UNESCO
09H15 – 09H45
Presentation of participants + Logistics briefing on the workshop
Mrs Chantal ELOUNDOU/Benis NCHANG
09H45 – 10H00
Presentation of the workshop objectives and methodology to be implemented with the purpose of achieving the expected results
Jean-Roland ONANA NKOA (UNESCO)
10H00 – 10H30
Coffee Break
10H30 – 11H30
Management of museums : handling and maintenance procedures (for storage, exhibition, packing, transport, and use);
Prof.Raymond ASOMBANG
11H30 – 12H30
State of documentation of Museum’s collection (+ Discussions)
Dr. Hugues HEUMEN TCHANA
12H30 – 13H30
Lunch Break
13H30 – 14H30
Manner in which collections should be kept (+Discussion)
Prof.Raymond ASOMBANG
14H30 – 15H30
External influences (flooding, fire hazards, moisture, pest…)
Prof.Raymond ASOMBANG
14H30 – 15H30
External influences (flooding, fire hazards, moisture, pest…)
Prof.Raymond ASOMBANG
15H30 – 16H00
Concluding remarks for Day I
Mr. Jean Roland ONANA NKOA
APRIL 14, 2021
08H30 – 09H00
Recap of Day I
Ms. Benis NCHANG/ Rodrique ONGUENE
09H00 – 10H00
Introducing cultural heritage first aid
Mme Suzanne NNOMO Ela
10H00 – 10H30
Coffee Break
10H30 – 11H45
Post-event, on-site damage
and Risk assessment
Mme Suzanne NNOMO Ela
11H45 – 13H00
Security and stabilization
Dr. Serge NOUKEU
13H00– 14H00
Lunch Break
14H00 – 15H15
Early recovery phase to promote the recovery and rehabilitation of damaged cultural heritage
Dr. Serge NOUKEU
15H15 – 16H00
General Debate between Participants and experts – Conclusion of Day 2
Prof.Raymond ASOMBANG
APRIL 15, 2021
08H30 – 09H00
Recap Day 2
Ms. Benis NCHANG/ Rodrique ONGUENE
09H00 – 10H00
Security at museums
DR. HEUMEN TCHANA
10H00 – 10H30
Illustration : Security of the security of the Maritime Museum of Douala
Mr. EKWALLA
10H30 – 11H00
Coffee Break
10H30 – 11H30
Museum awareness for development
Prof.Raymond ASOMBANG
11H30 – 12H30
The use of ICT in the follow-up and monitoring of cultural sites
Mr. Jean Paul MBAMBA MBAMBA
Curator of LOBEKE National Park, World Heritage site, Expert and Trainer in monitoring protected areas by drones
12H30 – 13H00
Demonstration exercise with drones
MINAC Regional Delegation
13H00 – 13H30
Demonstration on the use of fire extinguishers
MINAC Regional Delegation
13H30 – 14H00
Summary of discussions and closure
MINAC / UNESCO
14H00
Lunch and farewell
14 April 2021
Last update:20 April 2023
