The assiduous Laurie Rush has been building support for cultural heritage protection methodically for several years now through the Department of Defense's Defense Legacy Resource Management Program. Now these longterm efforts have led to the first-ever onsite cultural training program for U.S. military personnel in the Middle East. The U.S. Central Command had established a working group that succeeded in persuading Dr. Zahi Hawass and the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities to provide free access and a guide for the tour of the ancient pyramid complex of Saqqara.
The training aimed at heightening the awareness by military planners of the strategic importance of recognizing ancient remains in host nation landscapes, of the need to respect and avoid damage to sites and artifacts, and of the ways in which tourism to archaeological sites can yield economic benefits to local populations. Dr Joris Kila, who as a member of the Dutch military was one of the first civil-affairs officers to go into Iraq after the invasion, served as international advisor -- a good sign in itself, since it indicates that the lesson has been learned from Iraq that other countries can and should provide cultural heritage protection expertise that the U.S. military lacks. Equally important, Kila and other trainers emphasized the importance of multinational involvement in cultural property protection efforts, given the sensitivity of host countries towards what is after all their own patrimony.
More trainings are planned for the future. And the Defese Department has also just held a conference on "Sustaining Military Readiness" that included a panel on Cultural Heritage Protection During Armed Conflict:
Looting at the Iraq National Museum brought the issue of cultural property protection onto the world stage. Three of the world's most experienced cultural property experts will discuss the issue from the perspectives of the UK, Netherlands, and Austrian Ministries of Defense. Topics will include planning for conflict, the British Museum project in Basra, Dutch response to looting in Baghdad, and creation of an institute for research in Vienna to address these issues. Confirmed speakers include Karl Von Habsburg-Lothringen, Dr. Peter Stone and LTC Dr. Joris D. Kila.
All this is a big step forward. It is not clear from the information received so far whether this training can be easily translated into war zones like Afghanistan, or whether it includes practical advice on how the military might work jointly with host country antiquities officials or with locals to secure and protect sites. But it is still a very positive development. Sphere: Related Content
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