DRTF Report for EC on ICOM Disaster Reliefarchives.icom.museum/download/EX2010/item_10.5_DRTF.pdf · DRFM Policies / 27. Oct. 2010 3 How to prioritise? ICOM disaster relief activities

DRFM Policies / 27. Oct. 2010 1

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING 8 November 2010 – Shanghai

118th SESSION OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Item 10.5

--- Reception of Reports of Technical Committees

DRTF Report for EC on ICOM Disaster Relief:

Policies – Procedures - Perspectives

This paper serves two purposes to be decided upon by the Executive Council:

First, it responds to the DRTF mandate given in June 2008 by the Executive Council. Since then, the DRTF has developed well defined structures, policies and procedures on disaster relief and on the use of the Disaster Relief Fund. In addition to that, it gives a short overview on the activities: Since 2005, ICOM General Secretariat and the DRFM Task Force have monitored sixteen natural disasters and four wars; ten special web pages were published on the internet (List of disasters: see appendix 1). Based on this growing experience, the paper describes the typical procedures after a disaster has occurred.

Decision 1: The EC agrees with the proposed structures, policies and procedures

Second, it gives recommendations on the future development of the Task Force in the next triennium (co-operation with MEP & Blue Shield).

Decision 2: The EC agrees with the continuation of the DRFM and with the option to work more closely together with MEP and with Blue Shield

Part I: Structure, Policies and Procedures

Disaster Relief for Museums (DRFM): structure, history and mandate Disaster Relief for Museums (DRFM) is the generic term encompassing three “pillars”

Disaster Relief Task Force (DRTF)

Disaster Relief Fund: (initially endowed with 48,000 €)

Disaster Relief Web Site (archives.icom.museum/disaster_relief)

Disaster Relief for Museums (DRFM) was first created by the ICOM President to provide assistance to museums damaged by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The ICOM Executive


Council then extended the mandate to worldwide activities, including manmade disasters such as armed conflict.

In Vienna 2007, the General Assembly of ICOM approved Resolution No. 5, pointing out the necessity of

an integrated emergency approach effected by cooperation and coordination, by project development and by capacity building;

support of Blue Shield;

the need to implement the ICOM Code of Ethics and the 1954 Hague Convention and its Protocols on national levels.

In June 2008, the mandate of the Task Force was prolonged and specified by the Executive Council, “To draw up a document clearly setting out the policy of ICOM, the structure of the DRFM and criteria for allocating funds under the DRFM program and specify which body is authorized to allocate these funds.”

Disaster Relief Task Force (DRTF): status and objectives DRTF is an ICOM “Working Group” with a triennial mandate. It consists of a President, six members and two representatives of ICOM EC. (List of members: see appendix 2)

The EC provides the mandate and appoints the DRTF members. The Task Force reports to EC and AC.

The ICOM President and the DG are responsible for the work of the DRFM. The Task Force advises them. (Procedure in detail: see Appendix 4B)

DRTF assists ICOM in reacting more swiftly to future crises, once recovery needs of cultural and natural heritage institutions have been addressed.

Objectives

Collect information on museums affected by major natural and manmade disaster;

Promote and co-ordinate disaster relief, if a disaster exceeds national response capacities;

Convert the solidarity and offers of assistance of the international museum community into bilateral activities;

Administrate the Disaster Relief for Museums Fund to provide assistance to these institutions;

Broadcast public awareness campaigns in the media;

Elaborate long term capacity building of expert knowledge and regional networks.

When does the Task Force step in?

When a disaster exceeds national capacities.

When national authorities ask for help.

When local authorities ask for help.

When a local museum asks for help (if national authorities do not respond).


How to prioritise? ICOM disaster relief activities are focused on museums. In certain situations ICOM may act as a member of Blue Shield when no other help is available. This might include assessing libraries, archives or other cultural property.

Any country may apply for assistance - support is not restricted to ICOM members.

When multiple museums are affected by disaster, the ICOM President and DG, with advice from the Task Force and input from local and national authorities, will set priorities for the use of ICOM funds and expertise. The decision making process must be documented and communicated by e-mail or other written form.

Procedures after a Disaster Over the years the Task Force has reviewed and improved its activities and procedures. ICOM will take the following steps as necessary:

1. Initial monitoring of the impact of a major disaster for museums

2. Contact ICOM National Committees and ICOM members in the affected area

3. Determine whether international assistance is needed

4. Develop broad communication and networking

5. Direct reports by affected museums to appropriate channels

6. Determine whether to send a damage assessment or first response team

7. Check if there is nearby assistance or previous international cooperation between museums

8. Establish new international partnerships and mutual assistance

9. Seek specialized funds: searching – networking – lobbying

10. Decide upon the use of the DRFM Fund

11. After a disaster: evaluate relief activities

12. ICOM Museum Emergency Program (MEP): input and support

(For more details see Appendix 4)

Communication and Cooperation Exchange of information and cooperation are vital to cope with the extremely difficult situation after a major disaster.

Above all, close contacts between the Task Force and the ICOM President, DG and General Secretariat are indispensable. But also the broad communication to ICOM committees and members (by ICOM web site, newsletter, mailing list or a future web forum) helps to raise awareness, to express solidarity and to call for assistance. Of particular importance is the cooperation with ICOM MEP, the prevention and preparedness program that helps to avoid the disaster or to minimise its impact.

It is also very important that the Task Force works closely with our common organisation for the protection of cultural property: the Blue Shield bodies (ICBS & ANCBS & National Committees), as well as with its constituent organizations: ICOMOS, ICA, IFLA, CCAAA – our “Blue Shield family”.

Beyond that, ICOM disaster relief activities may be facilitated by cooperation with internationally operating cultural NGO’s (e.g. Cultural Emergency Response of the Prince Claus Fund / Netherlands, Heritage without Borders / Sweden) and humanitarian NGOs (e.g. Red Cross, Médecins Sans Frontières). In many regions ICOM can also rely on regional and national partners, like ICOM National Committees and Regional Alliances, Blue Shield


National Committees, Museums Associations, ICOMOS National Committees, National Archives, National Libraries, Heritage Societies and UNESCO Regional Offices.

Finances and DRFM Fund The financial framework of the Task Force consists of three elements: 1) Mutual Help: Museums assisting Museums As many museum professionals and organizations offer their support after a disaster, it is very important to provide the necessary structures for mutual help. It is a main concern of the Task Force to promote this idea and to bring together the disaster affected museums with those volunteers, experts, museums and ICOM National and International Committees who are willing to assist. 2) Appeal to specialized Funds

The floods in Central Europe in 2002 as well as the tsunami in South East Asia in 2004 proved how broad worldwide support can be – and that sometimes it becomes difficult to spend donated money quickly and effectively. As priority is mostly given to humanitarian help and to re-establishing vital infrastructure, the Task Force has to speak for cultural heritage and to make sure that museums get their fair share from international donations and funds and from national relief programs.

The Task Force operates within general ICOM financial policies in close cooperation with the DG; it concentrates on institutions specialised in disaster relief and the protection of cultural heritage.

3) DRFM Fund

ICOM has established a small special fund that may be used when there is no help from ICOM members or other institutions and foundations. This fund has two basic functions:

Sending Experts: The fund enables ICOM to send a small damage assessment or disaster response team at any time to any place in the world. (For details of these missions see Appendix 5). The fund actually allows – and should do so at any time in the future – to react to more than one disaster within a short time.

Transfer of Donations: As experience after several disasters has proved, ICOM members and some donors need an international transfer account. ICOM provides this service via the DRFM Fund. The Fund allows collecting and distributing donations in a way that is not burdened by international taxation laws and avoids problems with national taxation rules.

The DRFM Fund should be a separate fund within the ICOM finance system. Thus transparency for donors is guaranteed, and the fund may benefit by accruing interest on the balance. The fund should also receive contributions from external sources. Donations and other funds may be earmarked for specific disasters.

The allocating bodies are the ICOM President and DG, on advice from the Task Force. The Task Force administrates the fund, which includes monitoring and supervising, whereas the accounting is performed by the ICOM General Secretariat.

As stated, ICOM must be prepared for two disasters at a time. Therefore not more than half of the Fund shall be spent on any single disaster.

Part II: Perspectives for the Future

Next Months: Providing Continuity


The Task Force will go on with its current activities and it will continue the evaluation of the relief activities after the earthquake in Haiti.

If a disaster occurs before the future EC takes a decision on the next triennium, the old Task Force is ready to offer its services. ICOM should avoid a situation like May 2008, when the cyclone hit Myanmar and the earthquake struck Sichuan: Due to the lack of a DRTF mandate and appointed members, ICOM’s response was delayed by three months.

Next triennium: MEP and Blue Shield DRTF members strongly agree that this work is important for ICOM and should be continued in the future. But the Task Force proposes two changes:

1. Inside ICOM, the Task Force could also serve as an advisory and monitoring body for MEP. The competencies of DRFT members could help to intensify and improve MEP activities, promote common MEP & DRTF issues (awareness raising, training of experts, establishing regional networks), and facilitate the implementation of lessons learned in future courses and workshops.

2. In the medium term, the ICOM Task Force should be integrated with the Blue Shield structure to include colleagues from archives, libraries, and monuments and sites. DRTF is aware that there are several unsolved problems regarding the organization of the Blue Shield structure (ICBS and ANCBS), but recent disasters have proved the value of working together with other experts. Nevertheless, ICOM is in a strong position regarding communication, awareness raising, solidarity and mutual assistance among museum colleagues. ICA, IFLA and ICOMOS will build on the strength of their networks as well, possibly resulting in professional subgroups within the common Blue Shield Task Force.

Until such a move can be realized, DRTF should continue its work inside ICOM. But it should be a main objective for the next triennium, to prepare and establish such a combined Task Force of the Blue Shield family.

DRFM Policies Appendix / 27. Oct. 2010 6

DRFM report for EC on ICOM Disaster Relief:

Policies – Procedures - Perspectives

Appendices

Appendix 1: Natural disasters and wars, 2005 – 2010

Year Region Disaster Website

By joint ICOM Secretariat and DRFM Task Force effort

2004 South East Asia Tsunami tsunami2004.html

2005 Nias (Indonesia) Earthquake

2005 Southern US Hurricane Katrina katrina.html

2006 Yogjakarta (Indonesia) Earthquake

2009 Gaza territory Israel-Gaza war gaza.html

2009 Benin and Burkina Faso Flood

2009 South East Asia and Pacific Earthquake/tsunami/typhoons

2010 Haiti Earthquake

Primarily by ICOM Secretariat

2005 Central America Flood central_america.html

2006 Kashmir (Pakistan and India) Earthquake asia_oct-05.html

2006 Israel and Lebanon War august2006.html

2009 Abruzzi / Italy Earthquake abbruzzi.html

Primarily by ICOM DRFM Task Force

2008 Myanmar Cyclone Nargis myanmar2.html

2008 Sichuan / China Earthquake china.html

2008 Nepal / India Koshi river embankment break

2008 Georgia War (georgia.drfm.info)

2008 Caribbean and US Hurricanes Gustav/Hanna/Ike

2010 Central Europe Flood

2010 South Kirgistan Ethnic clashes

2010 Pakistan Flood


Appendix 2: DRFM Task Force members

2006/7 2008/10

Chair Thomas Schuler Thomas Schuler

Vice Chair Pavel Jirasek (ICMS) Corine Wegener (Blue Shield)

Members appointed Jorgen Wadum (IC-CC)

Pal Mork (PR)

Jorgen Wadum (IC-CC)

Amareswar Galla

Leif Pareli

Hans-Jürgen Harras (ICMS)

Representatives EC Amareswar Galla

Elisabet Olofson

Hanna Pennock

Hongnam Kim

Ex officio Alissandra Cummins

Nancy Hushion

John Zvereff

Secretariat Cristina Menegazzi

Carla Bonomi


Appendix 3: ICOM procedures after a disaster – 12 steps

Over the years ICOM has reflected and improved its activities and procedures. In

accordance with the principle of subsidiary, ICOM’s reactions follow a step-by-step strategy.

Step 1: Initial Monitoring

In many cases we had to start with a sophisticated internet search, including web 2.0

facilities (like Web logs, Flickr and Twitter). A most useful tool is the new UNOSAT service,

which analyzes satellite photographs of disaster-affected areas. Often we also contact well-

informed non-museum people in the affected region (e.g. humanitarian NGOs, foreign

embassies, journalists). (For details see Appendix 4C)

Step 2: Contact to ICOM National Committees and Members in the affected area

First, ICOM’s President sends a letter of concern to the President of the ICOM National

Committee(s), followed up by emails and calls on practical issues. In some cases our

National Committees provided a quick and helpful response,

After disaster, National Committees and affected museums have expressed their

appreciation for their ICOM colleagues’ prompt and professional efforts on their behalf during

a difficult situation.

Step 3: Is International Assistance Needed? ICOM does not act when the local authorities / heritage agencies / museum colleagues are

able to cope with a disaster without foreign assistance (e.g. Earthquake in Yogjakarta and

the quick and well prepared response of the Yogja Heritage Society) or when it is obvious

that a country is able to solve the problems on its own (e.g. Hurricane Katrina) or if

international assistance is not requested (e.g. Tsunami in India; earthquakes in Abruzzi and

Chile).

If there is no strong museum community and no ICOM National Committee in the country in

question, the Task Force monitors the official statements more closely. If there are doubts,

monitoring will continue until independent information on the state of museums is available.

(This has been the procedure with some very difficult cases such as Cyclone Nargis in

Myanmar, South Ossetia, and the Gaza conflict.)

Step 4: Broad communication and networking The Task Force provides a preliminary internal report to the ICOM President and DG within

one week of a disaster.

ICOM-L plays a major role after a disaster. ICOM bodies and members have expressed their

solidarity and concern. It was most valuable for communicating the reports and the web link

to DRFM web page as well as for raising awareness and calling for assistance.


One of the first investigation results of the Task Force is a “Watch List”, i.e. a list of all

museums situated in the affected area. This list indicates each museum in potential danger,

whether there is confirmed information available, and whether it is safe or damaged (staff,

building, collection, etc.). This list is published on the DRFM Website and regularly updated.

Step 5: Direct Reports by Affected Museums

In some areas, an affected museum cannot easily attract the attention of its national

organisations and authorities. There are also some states that limit the spread of damage

information after a disaster. With this in mind, the DRFM Website offers a “Disaster Reporting

Form” that every museum may download, fill in and send back via fax or email to the ICOM

General Secretariat to facilitate the spread of information.

As communication is often difficult or even impossible after a disaster, the ICOM General

Secretariat sometimes has collected and published on the DRFM Website all national

authorities, organizations, funds or relief schemes, to which a museum could directly apply

for assistance (e.g. Tsunami website).

Step 6: Sending a Team?

If a “Damage Assessment Team” or a “First Response Team” is needed, ICOM cooperates

with

BLUE SHIELD (ICBS & ANCBS) and its constituent organizations (ICOMOS, ICA, IFLA, CCAAA)

International operating cultural NGO’s (e.g. Cultural Emergency Response of the Prince Claus Fund / Netherlands, Heritage without Borders / Sweden) and humanitarian NGO’s (e.g. Red Cross, Médecins Sans Frontières)

Regional and national organizations (ICOM National Committee and regional organizations, BLUE SHIELD National Committee, museums association, ICOMOS National Committee, National Archive, National Library, Heritage Societies, UNESCO committee, Department of Culture)

In a post disaster or armed conflict situation it may be quite difficult to deploy a team

dedicated to museums or cultural heritage into an endangered area; thus combined missions

are often a better choice. To this point ICOM has been successful with this kind of

networking and there has been no need to send a separate ICOM team.

However, ICOM should be prepared for the possibility of a mission on its own, of course:

DRTF recommends (and will develop in cooperation with MEP) workshops that prepare interested ICOM members for such a mission.

DRTF and MEP cooperate in establishing regional networks of specialists (conservators, museum security specialists, and building experts) on which ICOM can rely in improving emergency preparedness as well as during a disaster relief mission.

ICOM General Secretariat should clarify the juridical, insurance, logistic and administrative framework for such missions.

(Mission procedures in detail: see appendix 5)


Step 7: Nearby Assistance and Previous Cooperation between Museums

When damage and need for international assistance have been confirmed, ICOM determines

whether the problems may be solved by neighbouring countries or within a region or

continent (e.g. earthquake in Peru & assistance of North American museums colleagues).

DRTF also checks, whether the affected museum has a partner museum, whose colleagues

may be in a good position to assess the situation and to give direct assistance (e.g. Gaza El

Mat’haf / Palestine & Geneva Musées d’art et d’histoire / Switzerland; Museum

Adityawarman in Padang / Indonesia & Museum Volkenkunde in Leiden / Netherlands).

Step 8: Establish New Partnerships and Mutual Assistance When obvious existing help for the museum in question is absent, the Task Force will

attempt to coordinate international assistance by bringing together those museum

organizations, museums, experts and volunteer museum professionals who have offered

their help to museums and colleagues in need. When possible, the Task Force tries to

establish a twinning relationship with an ICOM National Committee (e.g. Czech museums

“ticket for Asia” & the Maritime Museum in Galle / Sri Lanka), an International Committee, a

Regional Alliance, an Affiliated Organization or a major museum.

ICOM committees can even cope with complex situations. In 2008 in South Ossetia, the

Memorial House of Ivane Machabeli – a famous Georgian writer and Shakespeare translator,

who had studied in Paris and Stuttgart – was damaged and became inaccessible during the

Georgian/Russian conflict. The new project for his Memorial Apartment in Tbilisi is now jointly

supported by the related ICOM International Committees (DEMHIST, ICLM) and National

Committees (France, Germany, UK).

Step 9: Specialized Funds: Searching – Networking – Lobbying

Parallel to promoting the mutual assistance of museums, ICOM focuses on funds

specializing in disaster relief and / or protection of cultural heritage. ICOM tries to ensure that

museums receive their fair share of international disaster recovery programs as well as from

national relief schemes. ICOM also gives advice to particular museums regarding specialized

funding (e.g. Nias Heritage Museum / Indonesia & the CER Program of Prince Claus Fund /

Netherlands).

Step 10: Using the DRFM Fund

The DRFM Fund is intended to facilitate disaster relief in three different situations:

If attempts to provide assistance from other sources fail, the Task Force may propose to the ICOM President and DG to spend money from the DRFM Fund for an assessment mission, a response team, “first aid” to objects, urgent security measures, etc. (The Fund has yet to be drawn upon as up to this point, as other assistance strategies have been successful.)


Funds are deposited when ICOM puts out a call for donations for an affected museum or region.

The Fund may also be used for international financial transactions between bilateral assistance partners, because such a transfer via a special ICOM account may help to avoid problems with national taxation rules.

Step 11: After a disaster: Evaluation of relief activities

It is very important that ICOM disaster response is evaluated, because this is the basis for

improving future activities.

This includes collecting information from the major evaluation conferences and reports that

occur after each disaster. In this way one can discover shortcomings in preparedness as well

as mistakes in disaster management and relief activities.

Step 12: ICOM Museum Emergency Program (MEP): Input and Support

The “lessons learned” should be provided as input to MEP; thus this valuable ICOM

preparedness program may be improved and updated.

As disaster preparedness is vital for museums, the Task Force supports MEP in any possible way and urges that further activities may be taken.

Appendix 4: DRTF procedures in detail

A) How to proceed when a disaster happens

The ICOM President sends a letter to the affected country in which ICOM acknowledges

what happened, asks for more information and what kind of help is needed, asks for a

contact person.

Within the Task Force: Its President or Vice-President sends a message to the members of

the Task Force asking who is willing to supervise the disaster response. The appointed

person stays in touch with the General Secretariat.

DG and DRTF President discuss how to split the work between Task Force and General

Secretariat in each particular case. It depends on the immediate availability of personal

resources and of regional knowledge and affinity. It also depends on the scale of disaster: In

major cases ICOM has to mobilize all its facilities, in smaller ones the work may be done

either by the General Secretariat or by the Task Force.

B) How to give DRTF advice to the ICOM President and DG after a disaster?

The DRTF President proposes the advice to the members of the Task Force and asks for an

email vote.

The Task Force members votes within the given time.

Decision is made by simple majority. At least half of the members have to take part in the voting procedure.


In case of emergency or when there is not sufficient response from the Task Force members,

the DRTF President will give his personal advice.

C) How fast does ICOM want to respond and to decide?

Letter of the ICOM President: immediately

Collecting information: within one week after the disaster

First advice of the Task Force to the ICOM President and DG: within one week after the

disaster

Decision of ICOM whether and how it will respond: within one week after a given advice

D) Sources of information when a disaster happens

Ask for information via ICOM-L, which is also the way to inform the ICOM members about the disaster. This message contains a link where to find the DRFM website and where to find the damage reporting form that museums can use to ask for help

The damage reporting form filled in by the museum

ICOM National Committees and Regional Alliances

The National Association of Museums or the National Museum

Blue Shield: ICBS, ANCBS and National Committees

The “Blue Shield family”: ICOMOS, IFLA, ICA, CCAAA and their national bodies and members

International, national or regional heritage institutions

Ministry of Culture of the affected country

Humanitarian NGOs present in the affected area

Embassies

Media reporting from the ground

Military contacts – we need multi-channel information

All these same sources of information in the neighbouring countries, if the affected country itself is out of reach

Internet sources

E) Who evaluate the disaster relief, using which criteria?

The Task Force itself evaluates after 3 months.

The ICOM President and DG together with DRTF President evaluate after 4 months.

The criteria might differ case by case. Some examples to start with:

Successful in saving collections?

Fast enough?

Did the communication work?

Sufficient resources?

Efficient use of money?

Efficient effort?

The expert who was sent out on mission writes a report.


An evaluation from the supported museum is also requested: How efficient was ICOMs

work?

Each year, DRTF gives a report to the Advisory Committee.

Appendix 5: Sending a Mission

Missions

ICOM prefers to send people, because it has the special advantage to provide support by

professional colleagues. Thus ICOM can give moral support, receive firsthand information,

and better determine what help is needed. The type of support differs from situation to

situation. The support can include assessments but also active work in the affected museum

alongside staff.

When possible, it is best to send someone who already has a relationship with the country or

with the specific museum. An ICOM member or another nearby contact could do the first

assessment.

Sending a person has legal and insurance implications. ICOM can learn from other NGOs

having long experience with this. The General Secretariat still has to provide an overall

framework for those issues.

The first assessment could be 2 days or 2 weeks, depending on the situation. A person or a

team is only sent when requested by the affected museum or other appropriate authorities,

and always to provide assistance to an affected museum.

The organisations of the Red Cross and other NGO’s like Médecins sans Frontières may

sometimes offer logistical assistance. In the future such multi-organisational cooperation

shall be primarily a task for Blue Shield. In any case, ICOM should make contact with other

relief organisations already present in the region.

Experts and Training

In order to act appropriately under emergency conditions museums experts that are

deployed on assistance missions must be trained in advance. DRTF will organise trainings

together with

MEP

ICOM Triennial Conference

ICOM-CC Triennial Conference

Long distance trainings / e-learning

ICMS yearly conference

MEP should develop a basic curriculum and provide a budget within MEP for one-day

disaster relief workshops for assistance mission experts to be deployed. These workshops

should take place during the ICOM-CC and ICMS conferences and other relevant meetings.

When an Expert Team is deployed

In possibly dangerous situations, we send an expert team of no less than two people. This

team must be accompanied in the field by a security escort.


The General Secretariat makes a contract with the Experts (obligations and rights, liability,

insurance).

When necessary, the expert will get vaccinations and medications.

The Expert must acquire appropriate visas and travel documents before departure as well as

report to their embassy in the affected country as necessary.

The General Secretariat books and pays the flight, pays for insurance and vaccinations.

The General Secretariat provides cash or wires money.

If possible the Expert takes a calamity kit to the affected museum.

The affected museum is expected to pick up, guide and transport the Expert(s).

The Expert contacts the General Secretariat (if necessary by satellite phone) to confirm

his/her arrival.

The General Secretariat keeps the DRTF President informed.

Halftime through the mission the Expert sends a midterm report: Is the time left sufficient?

How many extra days are needed?

How to account for the money that was spent?

The General Secretariat does the accounting.

Personal accommodation, food, transportation and project expenses must be accounted by

receipts. If that is not possible, a written detailed account must suffice.

In some circumstances the amount will be paid in three increments with accounting after

each increment.

After the mission

Report within two weeks

Evaluation by the Task Force

When successful: ICOM press release

Remember to give thanks and recognition to the experts!

Documents

DRTF Report for EC on ICOM Disaster Reliefarchives.icom.museum/download/EX2010/item_10.5_DRTF.pdf · DRFM Policies / 27. Oct. 2010 3 How to prioritise? ICOM disaster relief activities