Action Day for Resilient Heritage 2026
Fast and Safe Art Packing in Emergency Situations
The Netherlands National Commission for Unesco, Blue Shield Nederland and Cultural Emergency Response invite everyone across the Netherlands to take action for our cultural heritage on 11, 12 and 13 May during the Action Day for Resilient Heritage 2026.
This week is all about strengthening resilience within your organisation. Whether you prepare your collection for emergencies, update your emergency contact procedures, assess digital security risks, or carry out a risk assessment with your team — every action helps protect our art, culture, monuments and archives for the future.
With growing international tensions and a changing climate, making heritage more resilient has become increasingly urgent. Around the world, cultural heritage is more frequently affected by armed conflicts, while natural disasters such as floods and extreme weather events continue to put pressure on historic sites and collections.
In emergency situations, quick and careful action is essential to protect cultural heritage. In collaboration with the Dutch UNESCO Commission, we have developed an Emergency Packing Instruction guide that provides practical guidance on safely packing artworks using softwrap materials. Depending on the situation, the guide explains both airtight and watertight packing methods for flood risks, as well as a faster non-airtight method for urgent evacuations. Follow the steps to minimise damage and help secure artworks safely during emergencies.
The HIZKIA Emergency Packing Instruction (in Dutch) can be downloaded here.
Are you already thinking ahead when it comes to protecting our heritage?
Programm partners
Rijksdienst voor Cultureel Erfgoed, het Mauritshuis, DEN, Nationaal Archief, KB, nationale bibliotheek, JongVNK, ErfgoedJong, Federatie Instandhouding Monumenten, Haags Preventie Netwerk, Mauritshuis, Nationale Monumentenorganisatie, Hizkia Den Haag, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Beeld & Geluid, Stichting Werelderfgoed Nederland, Oostenrijkse UNESCO Commissie, Kenniscentrum Immaterieel Erfgoed Nederland, Universiteitsbibliotheek Vrije Universiteit, Kunstraad Groningen, The Hmm, Netwerk Digitaal Erfgoed en Erfgoed Brabant.
