Report on Capacity Building for Cultural Heritage Protection in Central Asia

1.0 Introduction: Aligning Heritage Protection with Sustainable Development Goals

A specialized training course was conducted to enhance the protection of cultural heritage in Central Asia, a region highly susceptible to natural hazards. This initiative directly supports the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): The course directly addresses Target 11.4, which calls for strengthening efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage. By building local capacity, the program enhances the resilience of cultural institutions and assets.
• SDG 13 (Climate Action): Recognizing the region’s high exposure to floods, fires, and extreme weather events, the training provides critical tools for climate adaptation, safeguarding heritage from the adverse impacts of climate change.

2.0 Course Objectives and Participant Profile

The primary objective was to build essential skills for safeguarding heritage before, during, and after emergencies. This contributes to SDG 4 (Quality Education) by providing specialized, high-quality training and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for heritage professionals. Participants included key stakeholders from across the sector:

• Ministries of Culture
• Museums
• Libraries and Archives
• Restoration Laboratories
• Local Cultural Departments

3.0 Training Methodology and Framework

The five-day training program was structured to provide a comprehensive learning experience, utilizing established international frameworks and practical application.

1. Theoretical Instruction: Lectures were delivered based on UNESCO’s standard-setting frameworks and ICCROM-FAR’s field-tested methodologies.
2. Practical Application: Participants engaged in hands-on exercises to develop tangible skills in heritage first aid.
3. Scenario-Based Simulation: Tabletop simulations of emergency scenarios were conducted to test and reinforce decision-making and response protocols.

4.0 Collaborative Framework: A Model for SDG 17

The course exemplifies the principles of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The joint organization by UNESCO Almaty and the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), through its First Aid and Resilience for Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis (FAR) Programme, demonstrates a successful multi-stakeholder partnership dedicated to achieving shared sustainable development objectives.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • The article’s central theme is the protection of cultural heritage in Central Asia from various hazards. This directly aligns with the goal of making human settlements, including their cultural aspects, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
2. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • The text explicitly mentions “floods, fires and extreme weather events” as significant threats to the region’s heritage. This connects the need for heritage protection to the broader challenge of building resilience against climate-related hazards and natural disasters.
3. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • The article describes a “five-day training” course designed to “build essential skills for safeguarding heritage.” This represents a targeted educational initiative aimed at providing professionals with the knowledge needed to promote sustainable development through cultural preservation.
4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The initiative is a collaborative effort, “Jointly organized by UNESCO Almaty and ICCROM.” This highlights the importance of partnerships between international organizations to share knowledge, expertise, and resources to achieve common sustainable development objectives.

2. Specific Targets Identified

1. Target 11.4: Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.
   • The entire purpose of the course described in the article is to address the “urgency of strengthening heritage protection in Central Asia” and to build skills for “safeguarding heritage before, during and after emergencies.” This is a direct implementation of Target 11.4.
2. Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
   • The training focuses on preparing for “earthquakes, floods, fires and extreme weather events.” By equipping participants with skills to manage these crises, the program directly contributes to strengthening the resilience of communities and their cultural assets against such disasters.
3. Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including…appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.
   • The course provides specialized training and education to professionals from “ministries of culture, museums, libraries, archives,” giving them the specific skills needed to protect cultural heritage. This action promotes the contribution of culture to sustainable development.
4. Target 17.16: Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise…
   • The collaboration between UNESCO and ICCROM, which involves sharing “field-tested tools and methodologies, and UNESCO’s standard-setting frameworks,” is a clear example of a multi-stakeholder partnership mobilizing and sharing knowledge to support sustainable development goals.

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied

1. Indicator 11.4.1: Total expenditure (public and private) per capita spent on the preservation, protection and conservation of all cultural and natural heritage…
   • While no specific financial figures are given, the organization of a major international training course by UNESCO and ICCROM implies a significant investment and expenditure (in terms of financial and human resources) dedicated to the preservation and protection of cultural heritage in Central Asia.
2. Indicator 13.1.2: Number of countries that have national and local disaster risk reduction strategies.
   • The article implies progress towards this indicator. The training course, which brings together participants from national “ministries of culture” and “local cultural departments,” is a practical step in developing and implementing disaster risk reduction strategies specifically for the cultural heritage sector at both national and local levels.
3. Indicator 4.7.1: Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed…
   • The course itself is a form of non-formal “education for sustainable development.” By training key personnel, the initiative helps to mainstream the principles of heritage protection and disaster risk reduction within the cultural institutions of the participating countries.
4. Indicator 17.16.1: Number of countries reporting progress in multi-stakeholder development effectiveness monitoring frameworks…
   • The joint program between UNESCO and ICCROM is a multi-stakeholder initiative. The implementation and outcomes of this course would be a measurable activity demonstrating progress in partnerships that support the achievement of the SDGs.

Summary Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: unesco.org