On Monday 23 February the Iraq Museum partially re-opened, nearly six years after gangs of armed looters carried away priceless antiquities whilst American troops stood by impassively in the chaos that followed the fall of Saddam Hussein in April 2003. The reinauguration ceremony was attended by Iraq’s prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki. The preparations for the event had sparked off much controversy, highlighted by the different agendas of the ministry of tourism, which favoured re-opening, and the ministry of culture, which opposed.
Around 15.000 artifacts had been stolen from the museum. Eventually, about 8.500 items were recovered in an international effort that involved culture ministries across the region, Interpol, museum curators and auction houses. Of the roughly 7.000 pieces still missing, about 40 to 50 are considered to be of great historical importance according to UNESCO.
The most valuable and unique pieces of the collection, including two small winged bulls and statues from the Assyrian and Babylonian periods more than 2.000 years old, went on display Monday. Others remain locked away. So far only eight of the 23 halls have been renovated. More artifacts will be displayed as other halls open. The museum is initially open only to the public only for organized tours, but doors will eventually open to individual visitors. Iraqi officials expressed full confidence in the security measures taken to protect the museum.
The museum was among many institutions looted across Iraq. But the richness of the museum’s collection and its role as the caretaker of Iraq’s historical identity shocked the world. This event illustrated once again that people suffer a fundamental loss when heritage is destroyed. It also showed that no mechanism existed to adequately respond to such crises.
The Prince Claus Fund decided it was time to take action and therefore launched the Cultural Emergency Response programme. Cultural Emergency Response, CER for short, is a declaration against the deliberate destruction of cultural heritage in conflict situations. It offers ‘first aid’ to cultural heritage that has been damaged or destroyed by conflict or natural disaster.
CER’s first ever action was the reconstruction of the reading room of the University of Baghdad’s Central Library which had also suffered severely from looting and destruction in April 2003. Since its establishment in 2003, CER has provided emergency relief to damaged libraries, museums, churches and mosques in over twenty countries throughout the world.
A nation stays alive when its culture stays alive.
Banner above the entrance to the Kabul Museum in Afghanistan that was looted as well. Photo: Unesco 2002.
CER provides emergency relief for cultural heritages that have been affected by man-made or natural disasters.
Cultural Emergency Response
Prince Claus Fund
Herengracht 603
1017 CE Amsterdam
Tel. 31 (0)20 3449160
Fax 31 (0)20 3449166
E-mail cer@princeclausfund.nl
www.princeclausfund.nl
