The Blue Shield Network for the Protection of Cultural Heritage in Conflict and Crisis Situations

Success in the protection of cultural heritage is measured by the interaction of its various stakeholders:

In addition to state institutions and international organizations such as UNESCO, civil society plays a significant role. It is non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in particular that can react quickly and flexibly in conflict and crisis situations. The example of Blue Shield International and the activities of its national committees will be used to show what civil society involvement can achieve in the protection of cultural property and why constant exchange is essential for the sustainable protection of our cultural heritage. As Deputy Secretary General of the Austrian Committee, Anna Puhr will provide insights into the work of the organization from a national and international perspective, raising awareness of the social importance of cultural heritage as the cultural memory of humanity.

Anna Puhr, MA, is Deputy Secretary General of the Austrian National Committee of Blue Shield and a board member of Blue Shield International. Her professional experience includes the UN Information Service in Vienna, the European Forum Alpbach, the Brussels Cultural Forum and the Vienna Burgtheater. For two years she was Policy Advisor at the Austrian NATO Representation in Brussels and covered the portfolio “Cultural Property Protection in Armed Conflict”. In 2020, she spent two months at the Lebanese NGO Biladi to research the role of civil society in the protection of cultural heritage during the October Revolution and after the explosion in Beirut. She currently supports the Department of Cultural Heritage Protection at the National Defense Academy in Vienna.