Lack of planning
If cultural property protection is not identified as an issue either before an armed conflict, or when prioritising activity following an environmental disaster, no resources will be allocated to it. No preparations will be made for its protection (such as practising emergency evacuation in museums), and no military unit will be allocated any responsibility for it. This may well lead to a situation where cultural property is ignored, damaged, destroyed, and/or looted.
Mitigation: It is essential for the heritage sector to try to ensure that cultural property protection is fully integrated and embedded into planning by both politicians and the armed forces - and that resources and responsibilities are allocated. At the same time it is essential for the heritage sector to do everything in its own power to plan for disaster risk reduction through, for example: making sure catalogues and inventories are up-to-date and digitised; carrying out regular risk assessments; having, and regularly testing, clear disaster and evacuation plans (including safeguarding the heritage from possible post-disaster damage – for example, from secondary environmental disaster or looting); having good relations and effective communications with emergency organisations and the military; and ensuring all heritage staff are well-trained regarding disaster risk reduction.
Mitigation: It is essential for the heritage sector to try to ensure that cultural property protection is fully integrated and embedded into planning by both politicians and the armed forces - and that resources and responsibilities are allocated. At the same time it is essential for the heritage sector to do everything in its own power to plan for disaster risk reduction through, for example: making sure catalogues and inventories are up-to-date and digitised; carrying out regular risk assessments; having, and regularly testing, clear disaster and evacuation plans (including safeguarding the heritage from possible post-disaster damage – for example, from secondary environmental disaster or looting); having good relations and effective communications with emergency organisations and the military; and ensuring all heritage staff are well-trained regarding disaster risk reduction.
In 2017, the UK government ratified the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict following extensive lobbying by Blue Shield United Kingdom and partners. The Convention calls on states to make plans in peacetime to protect cultural property in conflict. This applies to the heritage sector and to the armed forces.
The British Army created a specialist Cultural Property Protection Unit (CPPU), recognising the need to plan in peacetime in advance of conflict. Today, Blue Shield UK is a strong supporter of the UK Cultural Property Protection Unit and contributes to their regular CPP training.
The British Army created a specialist Cultural Property Protection Unit (CPPU), recognising the need to plan in peacetime in advance of conflict. Today, Blue Shield UK is a strong supporter of the UK Cultural Property Protection Unit and contributes to their regular CPP training.
(Then) President of BSUK, Peter Stone, supports the inaugural UK Cultural Property Protection Special to Arms Course, 2019. © BSUK
"The Convention and Second Protocol require State Parties to take appropriate measures during peacetime to safeguard cultural property in the event of armed conflict. However, the owners, guardians and trustees of protected cultural property will not be required to take any new measures to comply with this obligation. The government considers that those responsible for cultural property should already be taking appropriate measures to safeguard their property against a range of potential disasters and emergencies, including under existing legislation and designation schemes. Therefore it does not intend to impose any additional safeguarding requirements during peacetime" (page 7).
Blue Shield United Kingdom argued in their Policy response paper that this is not the case. Improving emergency planning (for conflict and disaster) in the UK remains a core activity for BSUK, and we have a Working Group dedicated to this important issue.
See key documents on CPP and the military in the Document Library of the BSI website, or see recent reports and documents by armed forces in our Document Library.
Read the UK Government 1954 Hague Convention implementation policy and the BSUK Policy Response
Read the UK Government 1954 Hague Convention implementation policy and the BSUK Policy Response