On Tuesday, 6 May, the Science Museum of the University of Coimbra will host the International Conference on Resilient Heritage in the Face of Disasters and Conflicts, echoing the theme of this year's International Day for Monuments and Sites (IDIMS), celebrated in April.
Running from 14:30 to 18:30, the conference will begin with two case studies, followed by a presentation on Blue Shield Portugal—an international network dedicated to safeguarding cultural property in times of crisis. Admission is free.
The case studies focus on missions to protect cultural heritage in the face of natural disasters and armed conflict. The invited speakers—Dominique Jager, Adviser at the Department of Inspection, Research and Security Innovation at the French Ministry of Culture, and Pedro Cantor, consultant to UNESCO and ICCROM—will share their first-hand experiences.
Dominique Jager’s talk, titled “Presentation of the Security Action Plan for Cathedrals: A Tool to Improve the Safety of Heritage Buildings,” will explore a strategy introduced in 2020 by the French Ministry of Culture following the fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. Aimed at improving safety across 89 state-owned cathedrals and churches, the plan sets out a series of targeted measures across eight key areas.
It includes enhanced monitoring of each site and progress in implementing security improvements, incorporating technological advances in response to the increasing number of arson attacks. The plan is currently being reviewed to improve its clarity and integrate stakeholder input and audit findings.
The event is jointly organised by the Portuguese Cultural Heritage Authority (Património Cultural, IP) and ICOMOS Portugal.