ICOM Webinar | Emergency Management for Museums: focus Lebanon

When the blast at Beirut’s port ravaged the Lebanese capital on 4 August 2020, ICOM was able to provide immediate support thanks to its Emergency response protocol and the reactivity of local and international partners.

Museum professionals are by necessity the first responders when emergency situations threaten collections, and it is imperative for them to understand the risks and how to contribute to planning at their own institutions. The ongoing COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated these already pressing issues, forcing many museums to close their doors or to work with very limited staff.

Three months after the Beirut double explosion, ICOM chose this topic as the centre of the discussion for the third webinar Emergency Management for Museums: focus Lebanon that was held on the 4 November.

This webinar gathered museum professionals from different countries to review: fundamentals of emergency planning, including preparedness, identification of key players, risk assessment, collection prioritisation and other preparations were discussed. Special attention is given to the situation in Beirut, Lebanon, whose museums were severely affected on 4 August.