How we work

Policy
Procedures

Policy

First Aid

• CER provides emergency relief for cultural heritage that has been either damaged or destroyed by man-made or natural disasters.
• CER’s emergency relief concentrates on stabilising the situation, preventing further damage and implementing basic repairs.

Cultural heritage

• CER defines cultural heritage in a material sense as implying not only contemporary and historical objects, which are important to people, but also the buildings and institutions that aim to produce, conserve and/or exhibit these objects.
• The aim of CER’s activities is to focus attention on the value of cultural heritage and the gravity of cultural emergencies.

Prompt action

• CER strives to provide emergency relief within six months of a disaster.
• CER responds to man-made or natural disasters. A disaster can be large or small; its impact on cultural properties can be limited or enormous.
• CER works on a global basis but prioritises countries that are politically or economically unstable. CER reflects the Prince Claus Fund’s commitment to the “Zones of Silence”.
• Identifying cultural emergency actions occurs in close collaboration with international and local partners and networks.
• To implement emergency relief, CER collaborates directly with local partners from the affected areas.
• CER’s work is based on trust, respect and solidarity.

An indicator role

• The Prince Claus Fund considers culture to be a basic need and therefore essential for the psychological survival of people in emergency situations.
• CER believes that rescuing cultural heritage can bring hope and consolation to affected communities and can help to restore their sense of self-respect and identity.
• CER underlines the importance of emphasising and rescuing culture in humanitarian emergency relief.

Funding

• CER limits all contributions from its own resources to a maximum of €35,000 per action.
• When necessary, CER seeks additional funding in co-operation with its partners.

Procedures

Individuals or organisations seeking either the collaboration or financial support of the Prince Claus Fund’s Cultural Emergency Response program are kindly requested to send a proposal to cer@princeclausfund.nl.

Here, we would like to point out that:

• Support is primarily given to people and organisations in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.
• CER exclusively offers “first aid” to cultural heritage that has been affected by a disaster; CER does not provide the total solution.
• Proposals are only accepted if they refer to a man-made or natural disaster, which occurred no longer than six months ago.
• Proposals are only accepted if they refer to either concrete emergency aid for material heritage or research missions for identifying cultural emergency relief actions.

A CER proposal must include the following information:

• A description of the disaster
• A description of the cultural heritage in question
• A description of the damage that the cultural heritage has incurred as a result of the disaster
• A description of the heritage’s cultural value for the affected community
• The urgency of the situation: What are the risks if immediate action is not undertaken?
• A description of the proposed activities
• A detailed financial budget for these activities
• Information about the contract partner, the contact person and the project co-ordinator
• Information about any additional partners, both financial and otherwise
• A provisional budget for the heritage’s further restoration

For questions or extra information, please contact cer@princeclausfund.nl.

 

A CER action in Galle, Sri Lanka, the post-tsunami recovery of the Maritime Archaeological Unit. Copyright: Avondster project

A CER action in Mestassa, The emergency recovery of the village mosque of Mestassa. Copyright: Mohamed Cheikh

Cultural Emergency Response

CER provides emergency relief for cultural heritages that have been affected by man-made or natural disasters.

Contact

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