For those not already familiar with ICCROM, it is an inter-governmental organisation (IGO), founded in 1959, with 96 Member States and over 80 of the world’s leading conservation institutions as Associate Members. It has head-quarters in Rome, and was created by UNESCO at a time of increasing interest in the protection and preservation of monuments and sites of historical, artistic and archaeological interest.

It is the only institution of its kind, with a worldwide mandate devoted to the protection and preservation of cultural heritage, including monuments and sites, museum, library and archive collections. ICCROM accomplishes this through collecting and disseminating information, co-ordinating research, offering consultancy and advice, providing advanced training, and promoting awareness of the social value of cultural heritage. ICCROM does not only aim at increasing the quality of conservation work, it also seeks to increase awareness and support of conservation by everyone from schoolchildren to decision-makers. It aspires, through conservation, to make cultural heritage meaningful and useful for the benefit of people in every part of the globe

Training
ICCROM has trained some 3,900 participants in courses held around the world since 1966. Current courses cover topics in the conservation of archaeological sites, architecture, urban centres and museum and archival collections.

Information
ICCROM has one of the world’s leading conservation libraries with over 60,000 items in a variety of languages, and other databases, image and record archives.

Research
ICCROM promotes research into the conservation of materials through laboratory and field studies, based on its own laboratory in Rome. For more information, telephone: 00 39 0658 5531