Recommendation 2071 (2015)

Cultural heritage in crisis and post-crisis situations

Author(s): Parliamentary Assembly

Origin - Text adopted by the Standing Committee, acting on behalf of the Assembly, on 22 May 2015 (see Doc. 13758, report of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media, rapporteur: Ms Ismeta Dervoz).

1. The Parliamentary Assembly, referring to its Resolution 2057 (2015) on cultural heritage in crisis and post-crisis situations, stresses the importance of “common” cultural heritage and its enshrined values as key factors in the process of sustainable reconciliation and conflict resolution, which are fundamental to the well-being of communities and the peaceful coexistence of people with different cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds.

2. The Assembly considers that reconstruction of cultural heritage that is carried out in the best interests of a society is a development challenge and that guidelines for pre- and post-crisis measures should be developed. These should take note of Sultan Barakat’s “Seven Pillars for Post-War Reconstruction”: vision, participation, security, reconciliation and justice, equity, reconstruction and development, and capacity.

3. The Assembly therefore recommends that the Committee of Ministers instruct the Steering Committee for Culture, Heritage and Landscape, in co-operation with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the European Union, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and other relevant international and national aid agencies, to:

3.1. draft guidelines for the protection and reconstruction of damaged or destroyed cultural heritage as part of a broader strategy for preserving cultural identity and diversity in crisis and post-crisis situations, to be used by national and local authorities as well as international donor organisations;

3.2. provide support for member States to exchange good practices based on the guidelines as well as on standards and principles of the Council of Europe Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society (CETS No. 199), and provide assistance to member States in implementing these provisions.