ICORP Türkiye's Workshop on Disaster Risk Management Following the February 2023 Earthquake
From July 2 to 6, The ICOMOS Türkiye National Scientific Committee on Risk Preparedness (ICOMOS ICORP Türkiye) held a “Disaster Risk Management on Cultural Heritage: Emergency Preparedness and Response for Effective Recovery” workshop in collaboration with the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Interior Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) and the World Monuments Fund (WMF).
Background and aim of the workshop
Following the 6 February 2023 earthquake, ICORP Türkiye brought together experts in cultural heritage conservation and emergency response for a 5-day workshop held from 2 to 6 July in Kahramanmaras and Antakya, Türkiye. The workshop aimed at enhancing disaster prepardeness methods, strengthening collaboration and improving response strategies for future disasters. Workshop participants addressed cultural heritage protection issues that occured in earthquake-struck cities and evaluated the basic principles of disaster management in historical environments.
The workshop was opened by ICOMOS President Teresa Patrício with a keynote speech on global approaches to disaster response and recovery studies. Zeynep Gül Unal, President of ICORP Türkiye, then discussed ICORP Türkiye’s response activities following the earthquake.
The event was also attended by Yusuf Aysu (Head of AFAD Response Plans and Exercises Department), AFAD experts, Umut Almaç (President of ICOMOS Türkiye), ICOMOS Türkiye members, experts from the Ministry of Culture & Tourism, and university researchers working in the earthquake zone.
The workshop was organised around thematic sessions and a field trip to the old city of Antakya, where on-site screenings were performed. The sessions featured courses on current approaches in cultural heritage and disaster management, and were concluded on the last day with practical exercises using fictional study cases.
This event represents an important step towards the protection of cultural heritage in times of disaster in Türkiye and is expected to contribute to the development of a more effective disaster preparedness and response strategy.