ICOM Relief for Museums
go to web-portal

from UNESCO World Heritage Centre
World Heritage sites in regions hit by the recent earthquake and tsunami
go to press release

from Daily News (Sri Lanka)
UNESCO to help restore libraries in tsunami affected regions
go to article

As the world takes stock of the immense devastation to human lives caused by the 26 December earthquake and resultant tsunami, reports are beginning to trickle in on the damage to heritage institutions and sites.

Determining and verifying the extent of such damage would naturally be difficult. It is only appropriate that humanitarian relief efforts take precedent over heritage preservation. However, it is also pertinent to be reminded in UNESCO's press release that:

"It is [also] crucial to include heritage in the reconstruction efforts, as heritage contributes to communities’ sense of identity and continuity and is a vital resource for future sustainable development in this region."

A link to ICOM's web-portal which updates on the situation in South and Southeast Asia is also included in the Link section of this web-log.