Final Communiqué : NATO Partnership for Peace Conference on Cultural Heritage Protection in Wartime and in State of Emergency, 21 June 1996

WHY BLUE SHIELD?

The BLUE SHIELD is the emblem of the UNESCO Convention for the Protection of Cultural Heritage in Time of Armed Conflict (The Hague Convention -1954).

Now the Blue Shield also stands for the program for the protection of the cultural heritage under other disastrous circumstances, whether natural or manmade.

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WHY A PROGRAMME?

• To improve the application of existing international programs and conventions such as the Hague Convention (1954), the World Heritage Convention (1972), and the UN's International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR) 1990-2000.

• To provide to the practice of conservation an important component that has been missing in day to day operations in the past.

• To develop the necessary tools to accomplish these purposes.

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THE CONTEXT

The Blue Shield is an important component of a Risk Preparedness Scheme, a coherent plan of action for collaboration among various international and regional agencies and organizations.

The Risk Preparedness Scheme consists of:

1. An Independent Fund
2. Blue Shield
3. Documentation and information mangement
4. Training and Manuals
5. Awareness & Advocacy

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WHO ? and WHAT ?

ON THE INTERNATIONAL LEVEL

• To ensure coherent and consistent policy and action plans, an Interagency Task Force (to include ICCROM, ICOM, ICOMOS and UNESCO as an observer).

• For emergency response and operations, the International Association of the Blue Shield (to include executives of ICCROM, ICOM, ICOMOS);

ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL

• Risk Preparedness and Emergency Response Teams organized at the national and local levels by National entities of UNESCO, ICOM, ICOMOS and IDNDR. Teams will be organized in accordance with the BLUE SHIELD concept and will be customized for national and local use in accordance with tested models.

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HOW ?

Tested models for Risk Preparedness and BLUE SHIELD operations will be customized in each country to reflect national and local, legal or juridical, organizational and technical practices and differences as well as cultural values and possible risks peculiar to the nation or the locality.

Steps towards the development of national and local programs will include:

1. Identification of Partners
2. Establishment of National and Local Field Committees
3. Appointment of National and Local Risk-Managers monitoringthe process and being (or his/her deputy) permanently on call;
4. Provision of disaster instructions for the supervisors or site managers of conservation or heritage sites or properties (similar to hotel emergency or fire marshals using hotel fire plans)
5. Development of Disaster Plans in conformance with specifications developed for such Disaster Plans.

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For Further Information:

Leo van Nispen, BLUE SHIELD coordinator
ICOMOS - 75 Rue du Temple, 75005 Paris, France
Tel: 33.1.42.77.35.76
Fax: 33.1.42.77.57.42

or

Nieuwegracht 40, 3512 LS,
Utrecht - The Netherlands
Fax 31.30 2304947
E-mail: leovn@xs4all.nl

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