Cultural Emergency Response (CER) is a global organization providing first aid to cultural heritage threatened or damaged by conflict or disaster, always doing so in direct cooperation with local actors in the affected communities.
CER acts as a ‘cultural ambulance’: it provides quick and flexible financial support and expertise to assist heritage actors and communities as they assess risks and damages, implement stabilization, and conduct early recovery measures. Emergency actions aim to prevent the loss of endangered cultural heritage, facilitate cultural continuity, and build resilience in times of crisis. CER also works with heritage communities to prepare for crises and mitigate potential risks to cultural heritage.
Beyond emergency response, CER’s wider purpose is to make global heritage protection more inclusive, sustainable and locally-led, notably by training heritage experts, sharing expertise and experience, and advocating the recognition of cultural heritage rescue as a crucial aspect of humanitarian relief, recovery, development and peacebuilding.
