October 30, 2026
ICOM Europe Presents “From Crisis to Capacity” at International Seminar in Kraków Conference, Network
On 28 October 2026, ICOM Europe participated online in the international expert seminar “Knowledge, Security and Heritage in Times of Crisis,” held at the Faculty of International and Political Studies of Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland.
The seminar brought together representatives of universities, museums, cultural heritage institutions, international professional networks, public administration and the security sector to exchange perspectives on crisis preparedness, institutional resilience, and the protection of knowledge and cultural heritage.
ICOM Europe was represented by Juliette Raoul-Duval, Chair of ICOM Europe, and Lana Karaia, vice-chair of ICOM Europe, who jointly presented the ongoing SAREC-supported project “From Crisis to Capacity: An ICOM International Guideline for Museums and Museum Professionals before, during and after Armed Conflict.”
The presentation introduced the project’s objectives, international partnership, methodology and progress following its official kick-off in 2026.
A central focus was the importance of connecting existing international guidelines and professional expertise with the real experiences of museums and museum professionals working in conflict-affected regions.
The project aims to document and analyse practical approaches to emergency preparedness, collections protection, staff safety, institutional continuity and recovery, drawing particularly on experiences from Ukraine and other regions affected by armed conflict. Through international cooperation and comparative analysis, these experiences will contribute to the development of an open-access ICOM guideline designed to support museums and museum professionals before, during and after crises.
Beyond the Protection of Collections: Strengthening Institutional Resilience
The seminar provided an important opportunity to discuss the broader dimensions of crisis preparedness and institutional resilience.
Participants explored questions extending beyond the physical protection of museum collections and infrastructure, including responsibility, decision-making under uncertainty, the preservation of knowledge and institutional memory, staff safety, and the continuity of institutional operations.
Particular attention was given to the importance of cooperation between established institutional frameworks, professional networks and grassroots initiatives, recognizing that effective crisis response requires not only preparedness plans and technical expertise, but also strong relationships, communication and the capacity to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances.
These themes are closely connected to the objectives of From Crisis to Capacity, which seeks to transform practical experiences from crisis situations into shared professional knowledge and recommendations applicable across different museum contexts.
International Dialogue and Cooperation
ICOM Europe’s presentation contributed to the seminar’s wider discussions and introduced the international roundtable “From Crisis to Capacity: Preparedness, Response and Recovery.”
The exchange offered an opportunity to reflect on how museums and cultural heritage institutions can strengthen preparedness, support institutional resilience and develop more effective mechanisms for international cooperation.
The discussions reinforced the importance of sharing experience across institutions and professional communities, particularly between those directly affected by crises and those working to strengthen preparedness and response capacities.
ICOM Europe extends its sincere appreciation to the seminar organizers and partners: the Faculty of International and Political Studies of Jagiellonian University, the Jagiellonian University Museum / LAB3D, ICOM Poland and the Association of University Museums for providing a valuable platform for international exchange and cooperation.
ICOM Europe looks forward to continuing this dialogue and sharing further developments of the From Crisis to Capacity project with the international museum community.