Cultural Property Protection in Armed Conflict | Safeguarding Heritage through Integrated Emergency protocols preventing Loss and Destruction
ProjectContemporary conflicts are exposing cultural heritage to unprecedented forms of risk. The growing role of non-state armed actors, identity-based conflicts,hybrid warfare, manipulated communication, and advanced military technologies has transformed heritage into a strategic target and weapon, revealing thelimitations of existing legal/operational frameworks and highlighting the need for effective, evidence-based, and operationally oriented CPP strategies
Combining heritage conservation, conflict studies, international law, museology, political science, structural engineering, computer science, geospatialanalysis, and data-driven methodologies, the project pursues 3 overarching objectives:
1) strengthening the role of CPP as a tool to prevent heritage weaponization and destruction while supporting conflict-to-peace transition processes anddurable peace;
2) upgrading risk assessment methodologies to address contemporary threats, including manipulated communication, identity-based targeting, anddissonance-sensitive heritage;
3) developing an integrated operational protocol and innovative protective solution applicable to national preparedness systems and international crisiscontexts.
It is structured around 10 interconnected WPs. It reconstructs and systematizes the international operational CPP framework and investigates the drivers,patterns, and consequences of heritage destruction in contemporary conflicts, examining political, military, ideological, economic, and identity-relateddimensions, as well as the contribution of CH to peacebuilding, resilience, and post-conflict recovery.
Historical research on Italian experiences during World Wars and the analysis of contemporary best practices will provide a comparative base from whichoperational models and technical solutions can be derived. Building upon these findings, the project develops an innovative risk assessment framework,focusing on dissonance-sensitive heritage and on the identification of early warning indicators capable of detecting risks of intentional destruction, symbolicappropriation, or retaliatory attacks.
The results inform the development of an operational protocol, which translates risk assessment into concrete preparedness and response measures,defining intervention priorities, coordination mechanisms, responsibilities, training requirements, and operational procedures for the protection of immovableand non-evacuable heritage. In addition, the project designs, prototypes, and tests an innovative protective barrier system capable of mitigating damagecaused by blast-generated fragments, debris, and secondary projectiles while ensuring compatibility during prolonged deployment.
CPP | SHIELD also promotes capacity building and institutional cooperation through specialized training programmes, educational activities, dialogue withkey stakeholders, serving as an active platform for cultural diplomacy
Combining heritage conservation, conflict studies, international law, museology, political science, structural engineering, computer science, geospatialanalysis, and data-driven methodologies, the project pursues 3 overarching objectives:
1) strengthening the role of CPP as a tool to prevent heritage weaponization and destruction while supporting conflict-to-peace transition processes anddurable peace;
2) upgrading risk assessment methodologies to address contemporary threats, including manipulated communication, identity-based targeting, anddissonance-sensitive heritage;
3) developing an integrated operational protocol and innovative protective solution applicable to national preparedness systems and international crisiscontexts.
It is structured around 10 interconnected WPs. It reconstructs and systematizes the international operational CPP framework and investigates the drivers,patterns, and consequences of heritage destruction in contemporary conflicts, examining political, military, ideological, economic, and identity-relateddimensions, as well as the contribution of CH to peacebuilding, resilience, and post-conflict recovery.
Historical research on Italian experiences during World Wars and the analysis of contemporary best practices will provide a comparative base from whichoperational models and technical solutions can be derived. Building upon these findings, the project develops an innovative risk assessment framework,focusing on dissonance-sensitive heritage and on the identification of early warning indicators capable of detecting risks of intentional destruction, symbolicappropriation, or retaliatory attacks.
The results inform the development of an operational protocol, which translates risk assessment into concrete preparedness and response measures,defining intervention priorities, coordination mechanisms, responsibilities, training requirements, and operational procedures for the protection of immovableand non-evacuable heritage. In addition, the project designs, prototypes, and tests an innovative protective barrier system capable of mitigating damagecaused by blast-generated fragments, debris, and secondary projectiles while ensuring compatibility during prolonged deployment.
CPP | SHIELD also promotes capacity building and institutional cooperation through specialized training programmes, educational activities, dialogue withkey stakeholders, serving as an active platform for cultural diplomacy