SpotlightCPP - University for Continuing Education Krems

UNESCO 70th anniversary of The 1954 Hague Convention Logo

70th Anniversary

The Spotlight Cultural Property Protection lecture series 2024 is held under the patronage of the Austrian Commission for UNESCO and in cooperation with the speaker’s institutions.

The Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (Hague Convention) of 14th May 1954 with its two Additional Protocols (1954 and 1999) is an international agreement on the protection and preservation of cultural property in the event of armed conflict.

It was created against the background of the destruction caused by the Second World War and was adopted by the UNESCO General Conference in 1954. It was the first international legal framework devoted entirely to the protection of movable and immovable cultural heritage, and set a precedent for heritage protection in International Humanitarian Law. The Republic of Austria ratified the Hague Convention in 1964 (Federal Law Gazette No. 58/1964).

The object of protection is cultural property within the meaning of Art. 1 of the Convention: Movable or immovable property of great importance to the cultural heritage of every people.

The Convention prohibits the destruction, theft and looting of cultural property in time of war or armed conflict. Protection consists of preventive measures in peacetime and respect for one's own and other people's cultural property in the event of conflict.

Culture is essential in shaping human identity and a source of building community resilience in times of need. International instruments such as the Hague Convention are instrumental in fostering respect, diversity and peace, which are essential pillars for the preservation and promotion of culture.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Hague Convention. UNESCO and its partners are taking this opportunity to strengthen advocacy efforts and work towards universal ratification through numerous events and campaigns.

UNESCO Visual Dove Pillar

Since 2016, the Center for Cultural Property Protection has hosted a lecture series called Spotlight Cultural Property Protection (Kulturgüterschutz konkret in German).

The Spotlight Cultural Property Protection 2024 lecture series is dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and focuses on humanitarian aid and disaster response in relation to the Cultural Property Protecion.

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May 16th 2024

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History of the 1954 Hague Convention

Nigel Pollard, Tim Le Berre, Florian Meixner

The first evening will focus on the history of the 1954 Hague Convention and prior attempts to protect cultural heritage in conflict situations.
Speakers for this session will be Nigel Pollard from Swansea University and Tim Le Berre from the French Army, chaired by Florian Meixner from the Austrian Commission for UNESCO.

June 27th 2024

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Education and Training

Anna Kaiser, Hannes Schramm, Diamantis Panagiotopoulos

The second evening will focus on training and education in the field of cultural heritage protection, with an emphasis on exercises and the establishment of a national system for the protection of cultural heritage in emergency situations.
Speakers for this session will be Anna Kaiser from the Center for Cultural Property Protection Krems, Hannes Schramm from the Office of Cultural Affairs of Liechtenstein and Diamantis Panagiotopoulos from the Heidelberg Center for Cultural Heritage.

September 12th 2024

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Cultural Property Protection in armed conflict

Katherine Harrell, Albin Rentenberger, Laurie Rush

The third evening will focus on armed conflict and monitoring measures for cultural property protection, looking at current events in Ukraine as case studies.
Speakers for this evening are Katherine Harrell, historian at the Navy History and Heritage Command and researcher at the CURIA Lab for the Conflict Observatory and Major Albin Rentenberger from the Austrian Armed Forces, chaired by Laurie Rush, US Army.

October 17th 2024

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Disaster Response

Zeynep Gül Ünal, Eugenio Borgese, Valerie Higgins

The fourth evening will focus on humanitarian and disaster response for cultural heritage protection, with an emphasis on earthquake situations and responses for heritage protection.
Speakers for this evening are Zeynep Gül Ünal of Yildiz Technical University and Chief Warrant Officer Eugenio Borgese of the Comando Carabinieri per la Tutela del Patrimonio Culturale, chaired by Valerie Higgins from the American University in Rome.