Addressing Controversies and Climate Change Threats with Digital Preservation, Skill Development, and Strengthening: Approved 3-year Cultural Preservation Fund Grant

The EAMENA Project, a collaborative initiative focused on archaeology and cultural heritage protection in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, has received a significant boost with a new 3-year grant worth £1 million from the British Council's Cultural Protection Fund.

The grant, provided in partnership with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, will support the project's efforts to mitigate the risks posed by conflict and climate change to cultural heritage sites in the region.

The focus of the grant remains on digital heritage, with the project aiming to fund the further development and establishment of national digital heritage resources. The grant will also support capacity building efforts, empowering cultural heritage managers through skill-building in cultural protection methodologies.

The new project builds on the work undertaken by EAMENA in collaboration with government agencies and NGOs across the MENA region. Over the past few years, EAMENA has been instrumental in establishing national cultural heritage databases in various countries, including Jordan, Palestine, Algeria, Libya, Iraq, and Syria.

The collaboration for this project involves several key players. The Department of Antiquities of Jordan, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, ICOMOS Jordan, University of Algiers 2, Heritage for Peace Syria, the General Directorate of Antiquities and Heritage of the Kurdistan Regional Government, and the Department of Antiquities of Libya are all part of this extensive network.

The project will also involve research and training in the application of new methodologies for rapid documentation of heritage threatened by climate change and conflict. This will enable these organisations to respond more effectively to the evolving threats facing cultural heritage in the region.

In conclusion, this £1 million grant from the Cultural Protection Fund will be instrumental in continuing the important work of the EAMENA project. By focusing on digital heritage and capacity building, the project aims to ensure that cultural heritage in the MENA region is protected and preserved for future generations.