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Culture and Creativity

Published:  18 Feb 2026

EU boosts preparedness of cultural heritage sector for crisis and conflict

Apply before 31 March for the new cycle of trainings in disaster risk management. Trainings will start in May 2026.

Enhancing preparedness across the EU

Europe's cultural heritage is increasingly threatened by natural and human-induced disasters, exacerbated by climate change. In recent years, crisis and conflict have also increasingly impacted cultural heritage in Europe and beyond. 

In response to this, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport, and Culture launched the READY project in 2025.

Call for applications

After the successful training of 25 professionals from over 20 countries in its first year, the project has recently published the call for the next implementation cycle of trainings which will start in May 2026. 

The call for applications is open to professionals from both the cultural heritage and the civil protection sector in countries participating in the Creative Europe programme. 

The deadline for applications is 31 March.

Promoting knowledge across sectors

One of the main objectives of the READY project is to promote and enhance cross-sector cooperation among cultural ministries, heritage institutions, disaster risk and emergency management authorities, and departments of environmental science to better protect heritage before, during, and after disaster strikes.

About the READY project

READY is funded by the European Union’s Creative Europe program with €1.5 million over 3 years and implemented by the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM).

The project will train about 50 professionals by 2027 through in-depth programs on movable, immovable, and intangible heritage. It will also build a sustainable network of trainers to support long-term knowledge sharing and capacity building across Europe, using field projects focused on disaster preparedness, emergency response, and community-based risk reduction.

The project marks a notable innovation in its emphasis on living heritage and community-based disaster risk management, recognizing the vital role of living heritage and local knowledge in withstanding and recovering from crises.

Tagged in:  Protecting cultural heritage
Published:  18 Feb 2026

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