News
UNESCO-led Training Workshop in Senegal Strengthened Civil-Military Collaboration for Cultural Property Protection
28 - 30 January 2025
From 28 to 30 January 2025, UNESCO organized a sub-regional civil-military training workshop on the protection of cultural property in Dakar, Senegal. This activity, organized with the financial support of the Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and hosted by the Ministry of Defence of Senegal, benefited civilian and military personnel from the Sahel region. Participants included representatives from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, The Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania and Senegal.
This workshop was dedicated to enhancing the capacity of national armed forces and civilian authorities in fulfilling international legal obligations, while fostering collaboration and networking. It responded to the growing national and sub-regional will to strengthen the implementation of the UNESCO 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its two Protocols of 1954 and 1999.
Together, we can turn challenges into opportunities and build a future in which our cultural heritage is both a refuge of memory and a springboard to peace.
About 30 participants, comprising at least one military and one civilian representative from each country, participated in technical training modules, thematic discussions and case studies facilitated by international experts and local authorities. These sessions centred around learning practical measures such as risk preparedness planning, the prevention of illicit trafficking, and protection of cultural properties during armed conflict. Participants also received guidance on how to apply the UNESCO-ICCROM unified methodology for damage assessment.
Experts from the region showcased numerous safeguarding measures adopted by Sahel countries in line with UNESCO Conventions. These included the inscription of sites on the UNESCO International List of Cultural Property under Enhanced Protection, the development of tools to fight the illicit trafficking of cultural property, or the establishment of inventories.
Using fictional scenarios, civilian and military participants honed their skills in understanding each other’s needs and priorities, fostering efficient communication and collaboration to safeguard the valuable heritage of the region.
The third day of the workshop was dedicated to a visit to the Theodore Monod African Art Museum in Dakar, offering participants an opportunity to apply their learning in a real-world setting. The visit focused on developing risk preparedness plans and emergency response strategies for protecting cultural property during crises.
All participants were invited to visit the Island of Goree, a UNESCO world Heritage site since 1978, where they explored the house of slavery and corresponding exhibition.
As a pilot initiative, this workshop serves as a model to inspire the organization of similar events in the region and around the world. UNESCO remains devoted to promoting the integration of cultural property protection into military frameworks and fostering respect for heritage and cultural diversity. This workshop represents a concrete step towards ensuring the preservation of cultural property in the Sahel region and beyond, contributing to long-term peace and stability.
