The International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH) has announced a call for proposals to support the heritage protection sector in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic is already having a significant impact on the protection of cultural heritage in conflict areas, through the postponement of planned work and the potential destabilization of the local economic and social fabric. Indeed, this health crisis may lead to deeper and lasting transformations in the cultural heritage sector.
Consequently, to remain faithful to its values of solidarity and partnership, ALIPH has set up an extraordinary relief fund to support the heritage sector in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposed support mechanisms should meet urgent needs, while taking into account foreseeable long-term transitions.
ALIPH has set up a complementary support mechanism for local operators in the heritage sector in conflict or post-conflict areas affected by the COVID-19 pandemic:
- Financial support for the most vulnerable organizations to assist them overcome the crisis, adopt digital tools, or implement urgent preventive protection measures.
- Financial support to allow the staff of these organizations to access existing or planned online academic or professional trainings.
This Fund has an initial endowment of 1 MUSD, which will be replenished by ALIPH, or supplemented by other partners, depending on needs and feedback from the field.
Eligible Costs
ALIPH supports heritage operators by financing the following costs:
- Running costs (i.e. staff involved in heritage protection, access to protection measures against COVID-19, etc.), when these costs cannot be covered by projects currently financed by the Foundation.
- Development of digital tools, to strengthen skills and autonomy of operators (i.e. equipment for internet connection, computers, software – for videoconferencing, project management or planning… website, etc.).
- Urgent measures aimed to:
- Reinforce preventive protection (i.e. the establishment of plans for the protection of museums and their collections in the context of health risks, in accordance with the recommendations of specialized international organizations)
- Generate income. These projects must be cultural heritage related.
- For these three types of costs, the maximum amount is 15,000 USD by operator, renewable. When possible, the financing of operating expenses may be made on the condition that staff also follow online training.
- Furthermore, ALIPH provides financial support to enable staff of these organizations to access online academic or professional courses, some of which may be translated or under preparation. These training courses may cover topics such as project management, the protection of heritage in a conflict or post-conflict context or in the face of a pandemic, the participation of communities in a rehabilitation project, climate change awareness and preparedness, etc.
Eligibility Criteria
Potential beneficiaries of these grants are:
- Public institutions in charge of the protection, conservation and promotion of cultural heritage (museums, libraries, institutions managing heritage sites, etc.)
- Private organizations in charge of the protection, conservation and promotion of cultural heritage (NGOs, foundations, non-profit organizations, charities, associations, small handicraft businesses, etc.)
- Operators must be located in conflict or post-conflict areas.
- The notion of conflict is interpreted from a broad perspective to encompass interstate conflicts, civil wars, asymmetrical conflicts, terrorism, violent unrest and other sudden disruptions that lead to instability.
Post Date - 26-May-2020
About
International alliance for the protection of heritage in conflict areas
ALIPH is a unique international cooperation initiative designed to meet the challenge of protecting cultural heritage in conflict areas
ALIPH – an acronym which also designates the first letter of the Arabic alphabet – has been created to act in favour of cultural heritage in conflict areas via an aid programme which enables it to be flexible and to react quickly.
ALIPH’s three areas of intervention are: preventive protection to limit the risks of destruction, emergency measures to ensure the security of heritage, and post-conflict actions to enable local populations to once again enjoy their cultural heritage.