Right place? Right time? Right person? Cultural heritage experts working with the military.

1. Right place? Right time? Right person? Cultural heritage experts working with the military. Peter Stone UK National Commission for UNESCO & Newcastle University AIA 2011

2. Overview • Much blindingly obvious • Based on my activity since 2003 • Trilogy: • Destruction of Cultural Heritage in Iraq (2008) • Archaeology, Cultural Property, and the Military (2010) • Cultural Heritage, Ethics, and the Military (2011) • Cannot rely on recreation of Monuments Men model • Much still to do

3. Right place • To have influence cultural heritage experts must be either ‘on the inside’ or ‘accepted by the inside’ • Failed in 2003 because no cultural heritage experts had anything like the necessary level of influence • Requires acceptance by politicians and military that CPP is important • Winning the minds of military…slowly • Long way to go with politicians

4. Significant activity since 2003 • NATO’s ‘Comprehensive Approach’ & US revision of military doctrine • CENTCOM Historical Cultural Action Group • USA National Committee for Blue Shield • USA ratification of 1954 Hague Convention • ANCBS • SAFE • WATCH • CHAMP • IMCURWG • ICCROMM & ICOMOS activity • Strategic plan for DoD CPP training • Numerous conferences and courses • Publications

5. A concern Are we spreading ourselves too thinly..? Reinventing the wheel too much..? Are we properly focussed?

6. Right time Four phases of necessary activity: • Long-term awareness training at all levels • Specific pre-deployment training regarding host country/region • During conflict • Post conflict

7. 1 - Long-term awareness training at all levels • Delivered at different intensity for different levels of military • Generic value of cultural property & cultural heritage • Cultural [national pride; dignity; use of heritage] • Economic [healthy society; tourism] • Military • Trade in illicit antiquities • Historical examples [Nazi Germany; Zimbabwe; India; Iraq; & Former Yugoslavia] • Generic training scenarios as already delivered

8. 1 - Long-term awareness training at all levels: right person • Civilian cultural heritage experts embedded within the military • National cultural heritage experts • CIMIC/Civil Affairs staff

9. 2 - Specific pre-deployment training & activity regarding host country/region • Identification of specific sites; museums; libraries; archives; galleries • Potential specific issues regarding CPP in-theatre • Types of artefacts • Quality of host country’s cultural heritage sector • Specific requirements for protection of CP – is specific expertise likely to be needed? • Marking of CP on maps • Allocation of unit responsibilities re CPP • [Protection of CP]

10. 2 - Specific pre-deployment training regarding host country/region: right person • National/International cultural heritage experts • If appropriate, host country experts • CIMIC/Civil Affairs staff • Civilian cultural heritage experts embedded within the military • [Host country experts]

11. 3 - During conflict • Damage limitation • Liaison with military legal advisors • ‘Conscience’ role • If possible/appropriate, communication between military and host country experts • Stifling trade in illicit antiquities

12. 3 - During conflict: right person • CIMIC/Civil Affairs staff • Host country experts if possible • Arms length: • NGOs • International experts

13. 4 - Post conflict • Stabilisation • Emergency aid/repair/conservation • Facilitation of access to, and liaison between, experts • Provision of necessary materials & technology • Combating trade in illicit antiquities

14. 4 - Post conflict: right person • Host country cultural heritage experts • NGOs – Blue Shield (& ICRC/C?) • CIMIC/Civil Affairs staff • International cultural heritage experts

15. Issues • Naïve aspiration for Utopia • Not going to happen overnight • No time for additional training • Weakness of Blue Shield • Use of private security companies • Need to develop ‘networks of the willing’ • Need to win understanding of politicians – major issue in UK

16. Observation But if we don’t do it… nobody will…