With an overview of its achievements and projects, especially on its swift action after the disaster of August 4, 2020.

1. The Blue Shield
In A Glance
Lebanese Committee of the Blue Shield

2. Beginnings
▪ Official recognition in Lebanese Government: 7 May 2017
▪ Main Objectives:
1. Spreading awareness and knowledge about the need to protect
heritage in periods of armed conflict
2. Work seriously with the competent authorities to develop prior
programs to protect archaeological sites, museums and libraries in
periods of danger.
3. Urging the Lebanese authorities to sign the 1999 Second Protocol to
the 1954 Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Objects
during the Armed Conflict.

3. Past Activities
ESTERDAD program
▪ Funded by Norwegian Embassy in Lebanon
▪ Collaboration: Blue Shield International, Biladi and Blue Shield Lebanon
▪ To establish specialized, professional networks in Lebanon, Syria, and
Iraq to investigate and disrupt the trafficking of cultural objects
▪ To work closely with law enforcement as well as juridical authorities to
secure the repatriation of trafficked objects
▪ Attendees: 120 from Lebanon, Syria and Iraq

4. Past Activities
Training Lebanese Armed Forces
▪ Cultural property protection (CPP)
▪ Approaches to cultural property protection
▪ Risk management techniques
▪ Preparation of inventories
▪ Plan emergency measures for the protection of
cultural property
▪ Prepare for the removal of movable cultural
property
▪ Provision of adequate in situ protection of such
property.
▪ Establishing a CPP unit

5. Past Activities
• Training UNIFIL Forces
• Cultural property protection
(CPP)
• Approaches to cultural property
protection
• Risk management techniques
• Plan emergency measures for
the protection of cultural
property
• Inform CPP doctrine
development

6. Past Activities
Beirut Blast Operation
▪ Established a Disaster Relief
Committee
▪ Lebanese representatives of
IFLA, ICOM and Directorate
General of Antiquities (DGA)
▪ Drafted Preliminary
Assessment Report

7. Past Activities
▪ Targeted: Museums, libraries, cultural sites, heritage buildings and homes
▪ Created Beirut Blast Damage Assessment Platform
▪ Mobilized and trained 40 volunteers: archeologists, architects, librarians
for site visits Coordinated with DGA, Lebanese Armed Forces (LFA) &
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)
▪ Assessments: Socio-economical & Architectural
▪ Compiled full narrative & photographic report for around 650 buildings
▪ Video: Blue Shield Emergency Response

8. Visibility
• Online Regional Arab Dialogue and
the Celebration of the 50th
Anniversary of the 1970 UNESCO
Convention in the Arab States
Region
• Organized: UNESCO Regional Bureau
for Sciences in the Arab States
• Date: 6 September 2021

9. Visibility
• Training workshop on Implementing
the 1954 Hague Convention and its
Protocols
• Organized by: UNECSO Beirut
• Date: 4 & 5 November 2021

10. Future Activities
▪ Increasing membership to BS from various sectors and specializations
▪ Organizing regional training sessions on emergency response to preserve
of cultural heritage
▪ Drafting a national emergency plan
▪ Strengthening relations with Directorate General of Antiquities
▪ Creating network with national entities such as: Lebanese Red Cross, Civil
Defense, Fire Brigade…

11. Future Activities
▪ Creating network with Lebanese institutions and higher education
▪ Posting additional BS emblems to facilitate recognition of cultural property
▪ Providing additional sessions on illicit trafficking of cultural property
▪ Developing website
▪ Extending social media presence

12. Thank you