Task Force Convenes Meeting on Iraqi Heritage Emergency

Representatives of over 20 national organizations and federal agencies met April 16 in Washington to discuss issues surrounding the theft and destruction of cultural heritage in Iraq in the past week. Convened by Heritage Preservation’s Heritage Emergency National Task Force, the meeting provided an opportunity for exchange of information and planning about what can be done to help.

Before considering future plans or action, the group stressed the absolute importance of establishing contact with Iraqi museum, library, archive, and heritage professionals on the ground in Iraq and obtaining from them a list of their most pressing needs. This, the group agreed, is the first priority.

The group reached consensus on the need to:

• Communicate with cultural heritage professionals in Iraq to obtain a list of needs and priorities
• Call for the immediate protection of cultural resources and assets located in Iraq
• Call for the inclusion of cultural heritage needs in the U.S. Agency for International Development’s list of reconstruction activities for Iraq (see www.usaid.gov/iraq/activities.html)
• Identify private, business, and government funding to support the cultural heritage reconstruction work in Iraq.

The American Association of Museums has offered to take the lead on facilitating continued coordination among those present. The Task Force will continue to monitor the situation and offer assistance as appropriate.