Leadership Course for Cultural Heritage Stewards

Since 2018, CER and the Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative (SCRI) annually offer a leadership course for cultural heritage professionals. Leaders operating in areas where cultural heritage is under threat face unique challenges that require balancing the demands of heritage preservation in an unpredictable environment and the needs of multiple stakeholders that include the affected community, funders, government officials, the military and emergency managers. Having a toolkit of specific leadership skills can make a difference in tackling such challenges.

The course is run by a multi-disciplinary team of professionals in leadership, project development, management and communications, and is designed to equip participants with the tools and techniques needed to create more effective project proposals and management plans, garner more resources, and develop a professional network of colleagues dealing with similar issues. Lessons are brought to life by visiting cultural heritage leaders.

The next leadership course is organised in September 2023.

The course provides a gateway to an alumni network of heritage rescue professionals and partners, as well as opportunities for further virtual training. It represents an investment in people who guide heritage work in their local communities, helps secure the legacy of heritage preservation for future generations and increases community resilience to crises that endanger heritage.