CULTURAL PROTECTION FUND - British Council · 2019-08-06 · The Cultural Protection Fund (CPF) is a £30m fund managed by the British Council in partnership with the Department for

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CONTENTS

03 Foreword

04 Executive summary

06 Introduction

07 Section one: Financial summary

11 Section two: Performance report

20 Section three: Investment profile

24 Section four: Project progress and outcomes review

33 Section five: Report on the British Museum’s Iraq Scheme

36 Section six: Sustainable Development Goals review

42 Section seven: Communications and stakeholder engagement

44 Appendix 1: Grant awards data

58 Appendix 2: Governance meeting members 2018 –19

The UK’s future prosperity and security will depend on how we engage with the rest of the world. Strengthening international partnerships and sharing our expertise in cultural heritage will build trust and mutual benefits for the UK and the international community. So I am delighted to welcome this annual report of the Cultural Protection Fund. In just three years, the Fund has established an impressive track record of impact in its twelve priority countries.

Since becoming Secretary of State for DCMS I have been struck by the passion and commitment of a broad range of stakeholders, in the UK and internationally, for the work of the British Council and their partner organisations. This report sets out a compelling record of what they have achieved through the Cultural Protection Fund, and what great potential there is to build on this, while making a significant contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals.

I commend the efforts of all those involved, and congratulate them on bringing hope, dignity and expertise to countries and communities affected by conflict and extremism. From training women from Syria and Jordan in stonemasonry skills which will restore their countries’ heritage, to the creation of digital assets to counter illegal trafficking in cultural artefacts across the Middle East, the 51 projects supported this year will protect international heritage for the benefit of scholars and generations to come. Civilisation will always triumph over barbarism, and we should continue to lead by example.

Rt Hon Jeremy Wright QC MPSecretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and SportJuly 2019

Foreword

03

Annual Report 2018 – 19

Overview

• The Cultural Protection Fund is uniquely set up to provide an alternative to the traditional government-to-government model of cultural heritage protection, encouraging institutions and communities to work in partnership to protect and valorise their own cultural heritage.

• Research undertaken by the CPF team this year highlights how Cultural Protection Fund projects are aligned with the UK government’s work towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This includes a direct contribution to SDG Target 11.4 (‘Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage’), as well as strong thematic relevance with targets under other goals.

• Grantees and applicants continue to report a very high level of satisfaction with the CPF funding process and the supportive and responsive approach taken by the CPF team. Statistics relating to applicants (many of whom did not receive funding) are particularly encouraging, with 94 per cent rating the application process positively.

• Due to the success of the fund to date, and growing recognition of its positive impact in its 12 target countries, a case is being made for its continuation as part of an integrated UK cultural protection response.

The Cultural Protection Fund (CPF) – managed and delivered by the British Council in partnership with the UK government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) – has completed a successful third year of operation. 2018–19 was the busiest year yet in the life of the fund, with the total number of grants awarded rising to 51. The Closing Round, which awarded the final available funds in December 2018, saw the highest number of applications received to date, demonstrating clear continued demand for CPF funds. Despite high demand, surveys and feedback indicate that we have continued to meet or surpass service-level targets this year, including applicant and grantee experience.

The CPF is now supporting a rich tapestry of projects protecting cultural heritage across all 12 target countries. In line with official development assistance (ODA) objectives, the promotion of economic development and welfare is being achieved in developing countries across the region through activities such as vocational training, educational programmes and the targeted inclusion of women and minorities. All areas of the cultural heritage sector are benefiting from awards, and grantees and partners are represented in the UK, Middle East, North Africa, Europe and the United States. The CPF is now recognised as a global leader in cultural heritage protection.

Given the challenges present across the target region, CPF projects encountered a wide range of delivery issues this year. Supporting grantees to resolve these issues was therefore a major component of our work, and the CPF team have built strong relationships with grantees to ensure the best outcomes for projects and their beneficiaries in country. Appreciation for this support and flexibility has been acknowledged widely in grantee feedback.

With many projects in delivery, a record number of payments have been processed for projects this year. The British Council has worked closely with grantees to ensure that expenditure has been duly evidenced and that payments have been made on time. Inevitably, project slippage and underspend have been key challenges for the fund; however, careful management of these issues has resulted in zero per cent underspend against the £9.35m allocation for this financial year.

As projects are now nearing completion, this year has seen an increased focus on the evaluation of projects. A dedicated evaluation post was added to the CPF team in order to collate and analyse information from project progress reports and evaluation reports. As a result of this work, a full review of project outcomes achieved to date was completed in January 2019. This has revealed that the vast majority of projects are achieving all three of the fund’s outcomes, going beyond cultural heritage protection to build capacity and raise awareness, thereby increasing the sustainability of our investment.

Executive summary

04


Given the fund’s development objectives, a further evaluation project was also undertaken to explore our projects’ alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This illuminating work has highlighted numerous areas where CPF projects are working towards global development objectives, strengthening the case for cultural heritage as a tool for sustainable development.

This year has seen an increase in communications activity promoting the work of the fund. This includes the completion of two documentaries with historian, author and broadcaster Bettany Hughes, which have been broadcast across BBC World and BBC UK news; two public exhibitions to tell the story so far which were held in the UK Parliament and in our UK headquarters; and a series of events and activities with key partners across the sector, including the V&A Museum. The British Council also continues to work closely with other cultural heritage funders across the world to share learning and ensure complementarity of funding initiatives.

As we enter the final year of the current funding period, we are working closely with our partners at DCMS to consider options for a second phase of the CPF, and a case is being made for the continuation of the fund as part of a wider UK cultural protection response. At the time of writing, no further funding has been confirmed, but discussions are under way with the fund’s Advisory Group to consider future possibilities, including geographic expansion and the addition of new strategic priorities.

05


The Cultural Protection Fund (CPF) is a £30m fund managed by the British Council in partnership with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS). Financed by official development assistance (ODA), its overarching aim is to help create sustainable opportunities for social and economic development through building capacity to foster, safeguard and promote cultural heritage at risk due to conflict overseas. The fund supports efforts to keep cultural heritage sites and objects safe, as well as supporting the recording, conservation and restoration of cultural heritage. It also aims to support opportunities for training and education in local communities, enabling and empowering them to value, care for and benefit from their cultural heritage.

Since 2016, applications have been accepted under competitive funding rounds. Applicants have been required to partner with at least one locally based organisation in one or more of the fund’s 12 target countries in the Middle East and North Africa region: Afghanistan, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Iraq, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey and Yemen. Applications have had to demonstrate how they will meet one or more of the fund’s three outcomes focusing on cultural heritage protection, training and capacity building, and advocacy and education.

This report provides an overview of the fund’s activity for the 2018–19 financial year (ending 31 March 2019). The financial summary outlines funding rounds held and figures for commitment and expenditure. Information on all awarded grants – including award amounts, project descriptions, project status and expenditure – is provided in Appendix 1. The performance report outlines demand statistics as well as reporting performance against key service-level targets as defined in the fund’s evaluation plan, such as application success rates, expression of interest response times, and applicant and grantee experience. As all grants for the current funding period have now been awarded, an investment profile analysing the make-up of all 51 projects is also provided. The project progress and outcomes review section presents the results of the recent review of outcomes being achieved by all funded projects and includes an illustrated selection of highlights pertaining to the work of individual projects in this financial year. It also analyses delivery challenges faced by projects this year. This is followed by an update on the British Museum’s Iraq Scheme, which received funding directly from DCMS as the fund’s pilot project. The Sustainable Development Goals review offers further insight into the development impact of CPF projects in the context of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The final section provides a summary of communications and stakeholder engagement activity undertaken this year.

Introduction

© KCL06


SECTION ONEFinancial summary

07 © Action for Hope07


Section one

Background

The CPF is an initiative of the UK government, which has dedicated £30m in ODA funding between 2016 and 2020 to support cultural heritage in conflict-affected countries.

Of the original £30m, £2.75m was allocated to the British Museum in the first year, in order for them to deliver a pilot training project in Iraq. This was allocated before the British Council programme was launched and therefore sits outside the British Council framework for monitoring and reporting, but a summary of project progress is provided in section five of this report. Removing the £2.75m from the £30m allocation, the British Council manages an overall four-year budget of £27.25m. It is a condition of the funding that there is an agreed amount allocated to each financial year to be spent within that period as outlined below.

Figure 1: Breakdown of Cultural Protection Fund allocation from DCMS

Financial year 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 TOTAL

British Museum £0.68m £0.64m £0.65m £0.78m £2.75m

British Council £3.32m £5.36m £9.35m £9.22m £27.25m

Total programme budget £4.00m £6.00m £10.00m £10.00m £30.00m

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Section one

Overview of grant awards

In this financial year, the British Council held a total of four grants rounds: two Small Grants (SG) rounds (up to £100,000 ), one Large Grants (LG) round (£100,000– £2m) and a unique Closing Round (CR – up to £300,000 ). This is fewer than the usual six rounds due to time constraints related to the end of the current funding period. Remaining funds were allocated in December 2018 in a one-off Closing Round for projects delivering between April 2019 and January 2020. Existing applicants were also invited to submit proposals for project extensions under this round in order to build upon existing activity and deliver additional outcomes.

The table below outlines the number and value of awards made in the 2018–19 financial year. A total of 18 new grant awards were made over four funding rounds, bringing the total number of projects awarded over the funding period to 51. Given the proximity to the end of the funding period, and the large number of projects already in the CPF portfolio, the decision was taken in the Closing Round to award more grant extensions (13) than new projects (six). This has proven to be a very successful strategy which has enabled existing grantees to pursue opportunities which have arisen during the delivery of their projects. A total of four grant increases (all under £100,000 ) were also awarded this year. This includes Oxford University’s application to extend the Endangered Archaeology in the Middle East and Africa project into Yemen (£99,999, June 2018). In addition, three small grant increases were made between funding rounds to address funding shortfalls in existing projects. A complete list of awards made in the 2018–19 financial year is available in Appendix 1.

Figure 2: Number and total value of awards made in financial year 2018–19

Grants round New grant awards

Grant increases

Grant extension awards

Total value of awards

SG8 (June 2018) 3 1 0 £344,649

SG9 (Sept 2018) 5 0 0 £489,724

LG4 (May 2018) 4 0 0 £2,606,721

CR (Dec 2018) 6 0 13 £4,181,431

Between funding rounds 0 3 0 £73,508

Total 18 4 13 £7,696,033

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Section one

Although some projects did report slippage or underspend this year, this situation was carefully monitored and managed. For example, in some cases where slippage was an issue, a portion of the grant was reallocated in a future funding round or by awarding a grant increase for funding shortfall on another project. At the end of the financial year, careful messaging was employed to ensure that all grantees understood financial reporting obligations and timescales, and overtime for staff was utilised to ensure that sufficient resource was in place at payment request deadlines.

In addition, for the first time in the life of the fund, the British Council underwrote some additional expenditure above the DCMS financial year allocation in order to mitigate inevitable underspend. This was possible due to the high number of strong proposals in the Closing Round and has effectively reduced underspend to £0, ensuring zero wastage of public funds. The British Council has also underwritten additional expenditure against the 2019–20 allocation, demonstrating strong commitment to meeting DCMS targets.

Key lessons learned

• Holding an open and transparent call for grant extension proposals was an effective way of spending the large 2019–20 financial year allocation. It also enabled grantees to respond to new opportunities and lessons learnt during the earlier phases of their projects.

• There is significant demand for the fund, which means that it has been possible to award the full allocation from DCMS for the current and next financial years. However, it is inevitable that there will be a degree of underspend for the reasons summarised above.

• Careful monitoring of project progress and expenditure is crucial to meeting financial year targets. More frequent reporting periods are sometimes necessary for complex or high-value projects, especially ones involving procurement of capital contracts.

• Over-committing a small percentage of the financial year budget is useful not only to ensure that financial targets are met, but also to reduce the pressure on grantees and the CPF team. If further funding is awarded by DCMS beyond March 2020, building five per cent over-commitment into the awards budget is advisable.

Commitment and underspend summary

Thanks to the success of the Closing Round, the entire funding allocations for 2018–19 and 2019–20 are now fully committed. At the close of the current financial year, the full £9.35m allocation has been evidenced and claimed by grantees, resulting in zero per cent underspend. This is an improvement against already low underspend figures from the previous two years, and is a remarkable achievement taking into consideration the complexity of CPF projects and the challenging contexts in which they are being delivered. Issues such as conflict, political strife and currency fluctuations can easily result in project slippage and underspend against individual financial year grant allocations.

Figure 3: Summary of grants commitment and underspend by financial year

Financial year 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 TOTAL

British Council allocation £3.32m £5.36m £9.35m £9.22m £27.25m

Amount committed £0.55m £5.32m £9.35m £9.22m £24.44m

Uncommitted amount £2.77m* £0.04m £0.00m £0.00m £2.81m

% underspend on committed amount

0.70% 5.36% 0% N/A

*The time required for set-up and establishment of the fund resulted in under-commitment in 2016–17.

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Section one

SECTION TWOPerformance report

© PUI11


Section two

2018–19 demand

The CPF operates a two-stage process for all funding rounds. Interested organisations submit a brief expression of interest (EOI) form which is assessed for eligibility before full application stage. In 2018–19, we processed a total of 325 EOIs with a value of £94.2m and 97 full applications worth £24.5m. A breakdown of the demand across each funding round is provided in the table below.

Figure 4: Summary of demand over 2018–19 financial year

The charts below show that in comparison to last year, the average number of EOIs per round has decreased for both small and large grants, whereas the average number of full application forms has remained the same, or in the case of SGs, increased slightly. This is a sign that messaging around funding criteria is being successfully communicated, with fewer EOIs resulting in the same or higher number of eligible applications.

Figure 5: Average number of EOIs and applications received per funding round (2017–18 versus 2018–19)

Average number of EOIs received per funding round:

Grants round EOIs Value (£) Applications Value (£)

SG8 (June 2018) 47 £4,070,669 9 £782,601

SG9 (Sept 2018) 73 £6,302,522 17 £1,629,272

LG4 (May 2018) 74 £59,691,417 17 £10,938,024

CR (Dec 2018) 131 £24,160,268 54 £11,127,396

Total 325 £94,224,876 97 £24,477,293

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Section two

Additionally, the application success rate for 2018–19 is significantly higher than the previous two years, as shown in the table below. This is partly due to the Closing Round, where extension requests for existing projects had a higher success rate, but the success rates for the Small Grants rounds in June 2018 and September 2018 were also higher than previous rounds at 33 per cent and 30 per cent, respectively. Given that more applications were received on average for Small Grants rounds this year, this is indicative of improved application quality within the Small Grants funding stream.

Figure 6: Application success rates since June 2016

Turning to demand from specific target countries, the chart below shows a similar picture to last year, with the highest number of EOIs coming from Egypt, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Lebanon and Turkey. Below this group were Iraq and Jordan, followed by Afghanistan, Libya, Sudan, Tunisia and Yemen, which all attracted fewer than 20 EOIs each.

Average percentage of applications funded

2016–17 20%

2017–18 21%

2018–19 30%

Overall rate 23%

2018–192017–18

0

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Large GrantsSmall Grants

Average number of full applications received per funding round:

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Section two

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ApplicationsEOIs

Yemen

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Syria (o

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*Numbers do not include the 23 extension applications as these relate to existing projects.

In the case of Occupied Palestinian Territories and Lebanon, the EOIs have translated into the highest number of full applications received, whereas fewer EOIs relating to Egypt, Turkey and Tunisia were encouraged to go through to full application stage. This was due largely to lower conflict relevance and potential issues related to permissions in the case of Turkey. Although fewer EOIs were received in other countries – such as Iraq, Jordan and Afghanistan – a higher percentage of these were encouraged to proceed to full application stage as these proposals were viewed as being more relevant to CPF criteria. This was especially true in the case of Yemen, where nearly 50 per cent of EOIs translated to full applications.

Demand relating to Syrian projects has been separated into two categories – EOIs and applications which relate to projects taking place within the country (‘operating in’) and those pertaining to projects taking place outside of the country (‘operating out’), for example by working with Syrian refugees in Jordan or Lebanon. While the number of proposals for work relating to Syrians based in countries outside of Syria was quite high, the number of ‘operating in’ proposals has declined since the fund was launched. This is likely due to the complex political situation and challenging operating context within the country. Similar challenges make it impractical to deliver projects on the ground in Libya, which has attracted the lowest number of EOIs this year.

Overall demand

Since launching the fund in June 2016, the CPF team has processed nearly 1,000 EOIs valuing £394m and 278 full applications worth £126m. These figures indicate a high level of demand in comparison to the amount of funding available.

Figure 8: Overall demand for CPF funds since June 2016

Number Value

Expressions of interest received 995 £394m

Applications received 278 £126m

Applications awarded 52 £24.3m

Overall rate 23%

Figure 7: Number of EOIs and applications received in 2018 –19 by target country*

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Section two

The graphs below show demand for Small and Large Grants over the entire funding period. The high level of demand has been well managed by the EOI process, which has reduced the number of full applications to a manageable level with an average overall application success rate of 23 per cent.

There has been some fluctuation in interest for Small Grants. After a slightly sluggish start with SG1 in October 2016, there was an initial spike in interest from a wide range of arts and heritage organisations from around the world. Careful messaging about key funding criteria was then fed through the EOI process, resulting in a reduced level of enquiries with a more relevant cultural protection focus. In the case of both Small and Large Grants, the level of interest at the end of the funding period has exceeded that of the earlier funding calls by a significant margin, demonstrating increasing demand.

Figure 9: Small and Large Grants demand from June 2016 to December 2018

Small Grants demand 2016–18:

Large Grants demand 2016–18:

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SG9 (Dec 18)SG8 (June 18)SG7 (Mar 18)SG 6 (Dec 17)SG5 (Sept 17)SG4 (June 17)SG3 (Mar 17)SG2 (Dec 16)SG1 (Oct 16)

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Closing Round (Dec 18)LG4 (May 18)LG3 (Oct 17)LG2 (Apr 17)LG1 (Nov 16)

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Section two

Service-level targets

The key project management objective set out in the Cultural Protection Fund Evaluation Plan is:

To follow best practice and deliver a well-managed fund, applying due diligence and clearly demonstrating responsibility, transparency and accountability.

In line with this objective, we record and measure our performance against a number of service-level targets as set out in the table below. As mentioned above, the application success rate for 2018–19 is relatively high at 30 per cent. The overall rate since June 2016 is 23 per cent. Although it is disappointing when applications are rejected, a positive result for approximately one in four applications represents a healthy level of competition in line with other comparable funds.1 We were successful in meeting the published EOI response time of ten working days in all four funding rounds, with an overall average response time of 7.76 working days. We also held decision meetings and communicated decisions according to the dates published on our website.

Figure 10: Service-level target performance for financial year 2018–19

Area Target Performance

Application success rates Maintain a fair level of competition for applicants.

Application success rate of 30% for 2018–19 (overall rate of 23% since June 2016)

EOI response times (LG4 May 2018)

Respond to each EOI within ten working days.

8.09 working days

EOI response times (SG8 June 2018)


7.85 working days

EOI response times (SG9 Sept 2018)


9.16 working days

EOI response times (CR Dec 2019)


5.95 working days

Application process timescales (LG4 May 2018)

Decision three months after application deadline

Achieved

Application process timescales (SG8 June 2018)

Decision six weeks after application deadline

Achieved

Application process timescales (SG9 Sept 2018)

Decision six weeks after application deadline

Achieved

Application process timescales (CR Dec 2018)

Decision three months after application deadline

Achieved

1 The UK’s National Lottery Heritage Fund reported the total value of grant requests in 2017–18 as being 3.7 times larger than the awards budget (Heritage Lottery Fund Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2018). The US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation reported application success rates of 27 per cent in 2017 and 28 per cent in 2018 (email from US Department of State, 25 March 2019).16


Section two

Applicant experience Undertake a survey of successful and unsuccessful applicants, aiming for 80% customer satisfaction with the application process.

All five aspects of the application process rated good or very good by 80.2% of applicants.

All five aspects of the application process rated satisfactory or above by 94.1% of applicants.

88% of applicants would consider applying again.

Grantee experience Undertake a survey of all grantees, aiming for 85% satisfaction with post-award processes and overall grantee experience.

100% of respondents rated the CPF grantee experience as good, very good or excellent.

100% of respondents rated the support received from the CPF team as very good (12.5%) or excellent (87.5%).

100% of respondents are very or extremely likely to recommend the fund to someone they know.

Fifty-three applicant experience surveys were received this year from 21 successful applicants and 30 unsuccessful applicants. On the whole, targets for positive feedback were met, with 80.2 per cent of respondents rating all five aspects of the application process as ‘good’ or ‘very’ good, and 94.1 per cent rating them at least ‘satisfactory’. The most popular responses when asked what they would change about the application process were to streamline the application forms and requests for supporting documentation, and to make the forms downloadable so that they can be filled in offline.

When asked to identify the best thing about the application process, responses centred around two main themes – the clarity of the application process and guidance notes and the quality of feedback and support provided by the CPF team. A selection of quotes highlighting these two themes is provided below and overleaf:

We very much appreciated the feedback and interaction with the staff in charge of the fund.

The personal response I received and the chance I was given to answer additional questions pertaining to the application.

The process was clear and milestones were clear and respected.

The questions are to the point and easy to complete.

Clarity in what to expect and what was needed to complete the process.

It is straightforward and simple.

It asked for relevant information and helped applicants think through the project constructively.

17


Section two

Very clear guidelines.

Enthusiastic support and advice from the CPF Team.

The explanation and guidelines were very useful and helped greatly when I was writing the application.

Excellent support from British Council staff.

Immediate and high-quality feedback.

Responses from grantee surveys this year have also been highly positive. One-hundred per cent of respondents rated the overall experience of being a CPF grantee positively (good = 6.25 per cent, very good = 31.25 per cent, excellent = 62.5 per cent). The support provided by the CPF team was rated even more highly (very good = 12.5 per cent, excellent = 87.5 per cent). This is also evident in responses relating to what grantees have enjoyed most about their CPF experience:

Our Grants Manager was accommodating, understanding, and extremely helpful when explaining us how to follow the British Council’s reporting procedures and expectations.

The open dialogue between the project team and the British Council team.

Well-managed and flexible approach to working in difficult circumstances.

The understanding of the needs and the problems when working in the MENA region and the flexibility to adapt the project when needed.

Grantees also described the CPF grantee experience very favourably when asked to compare it to their experience of working with other donors:

What is lacking with many donors is even when they have national offices, there is often a disconnect between headquarters and country offices. The British Council has highly experienced staff with a deep contextual knowledge of local contexts.Professor Mariz Tadros, Institute of Development Studies

It is the easily the best and simplest grant system we have worked with, compared to UNESCO, World Bank, etc.Michael Mallinson, Mallinson Architects and Engineers

We have found the CPF staff to be highly responsive and efficient, particularly during busy periods. They have proved to be flexible and understanding when we have been in touch to propose changes to delivery which are necessary for the project to best deliver its aims.Gaby Hallas, the British Museum

A good experience. By its very nature, working in a conflict zone is not easy and requires flexibility by all involved. I’ve found the British Council grants teams to be the opposite of bureaucratic box-tickers – willing to listen, understanding of the situation, and flexing with us to get the best out of the project.John Darlington, World Monuments Fund Britain

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Section two

Riwaq has a well-established methodology of working with funders and in implementing projects. Our experience with the CPF has been very smooth and professional. They have very clear and professional methods of reporting, evaluation and financial monitor that we were happy to follow. The grant managers and the CPF team have shown a high level of professional approach, punctuality and commitment to the project.Shatha Safi, RIWAQ

The administrative team of CPF has been absolutely wonderful and has made it possible for us to adapt the original project and progress it in spite of external challenges. It is doubtful that other funding bodies would have allowed this degree of flexibility in response to unforeseen circumstances.Lutgarde Vandeput, British Institute of Archaeology Ankara

Our experience has been very positive. Our Grants Manager was particularly up to date with our project, and very helpful in determining the targets of the project in its early stages. The application and reporting formats are also clearer than those of other funders.Tariq Zulficar, Environmental Quality International

The only significant area of negative feedback relates to the rigidity of the financial year allocations, which restricts funds from being carried over from one financial year to the next. Nearly 50 per cent of respondents mentioned this, indicating that it is a very common concern among grantees, and this is not surprising given the complexity of the projects being delivered and the range of issues affecting them. Other areas of improvement around forms and reporting processes were also mentioned, and these suggestions will be used to inform future planning.

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Section two

SECTION THREEInvestment profile

© DAL20


Section three

Target country Number of projects*

Total investment

% of overall investment

Occupied Palestinian Territories 11 £4,670,563 19.00%

Lebanon 8 £3,591,271 14.60%

Afghanistan 4 £3,312,143 13.50%

Sudan 4 £2,390,355 9.70%

Iraq 9 £2,332,897 9.50%

Turkey 4 £2,325,007 9.50%

Egypt 7 £1,910,409 7.80%

Jordan 4 £1,403,910 5.70%

Yemen 4 £1,157,049 4.70%

Tunisia 3 £797,958 3.20%

Libya 2 £704,833 2.90%

Syria** 1 £109,445 0.40%

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Section three

* Multi-country projects are counted once for each country. The total number of projects counted is therefore higher than the 51 awarded projects.

** Only projects operating inside Syria are included. A total of five projects operating in Lebanon and Jordan focus on Syrian refugee communities.

Occupied Palestinian Territories have received the highest proportion of funding at 19 per cent, thanks to a very strong infrastructure of capable NGOs and high conflict relevance. Lebanon and Afghanistan have also received a large amount of funding at 14.6 per cent and 13.5 per cent, respectively. Despite being a very small country, Lebanon’s conflict history, proximity to Syria and density of active NGOs have resulted in a high number of funded projects and 14.6 per cent of total CPF investment. Afghanistan has attracted a similar amount of investment but with fewer projects (four), the largest one belonging to Turquoise Mountain Trust (£2.5m).

The remainder of the countries have all received less than 10 per cent of CPF funding, although Iraq has the second highest number of CPF-funded projects at nine, and Egypt is not far behind with seven projects. Given the challenging delivery contexts in both Sudan and Yemen, it is notable that four projects have been funded and are operating successfully in both countries.

The total amount of funding received by Jordan (5.7 per cent) and Tunisia (3.2 per cent) is relatively low; however, these remain important locations for projects involving people from neighbouring Syria and Libya. Libya and Syria are two obvious ‘cold spots’, with a combined total of just over 3 per cent of total CPF investment. Given the highly relevant conflict situations in both countries, review work is currently under way to explore ways to increase investment in these areas if the CPF is extended. In the meantime, it is worth noting that Syrian refugee communities are the main focus of five CPF projects operating in Jordan and Lebanon, with a combined value of £1.6m (7 per cent of overall CPF investment).

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Section three

Grantee profile

Since its launch in 2016, the fund has operated an open eligibility policy which effectively allows any organisation in the world to apply as lead applicant, provided they are working in partnership with at least one organisation based in a CPF target country (locally based organisations are also invited to apply directly). This has resulted in a grantee profile with strong UK representation alongside a variety of organisations based directly in the target countries and in the UAE and Europe (France, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland and Belgium).

Figure 12: Grantee organisations by location

As a result of this inclusive approach, the CPF is supporting a great variety of partnerships bringing a breadth of experience to bear on cultural protection and development issues across the target region. Consequently, the UK is recognised as a global leader in cultural heritage protection, receiving regular invitations to speak at international conferences and playing an active role as a member of the international Grantmakers in Cultural Heritage Preservation group, which includes leading grant-making bodies such as ALIPH Foundation, Arcadia, J.M. Kaplan Fund, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Prince Claus Fund and the US Department of State.

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Section three

Investment by heritage type

Likewise, formal designations are taken into account when assessing the significance of cultural heritage, but these are not emphasised; rather, applicants are asked to explain the significance of the cultural heritage their project focuses on and how it is valued by the local population. This is a key element of ODA compliance, ensuring that the project benefits people within the target countries.

This approach has attracted applications relating to a very broad range of cultural heritage types, from internationally recognised archaeological sites and artefacts to oral histories, minority languages and traditional food. As illustrated in the chart below, there is a fairly even balance between the four main areas of the cultural heritage sector among the 51 awarded projects. Built heritage has received the largest amount of investment (37 per cent), but this is related to the fact that these projects tend to involve capital works, making them much more expensive than intangible cultural heritage projects. The actual number of both types of funded projects is more even.

Figure 13: Percentage of CPF funds invested in each area of the cultural heritage sector

Museums, librariesand archives

15%

37%

26%22%

Intangible cultural heritage

Built heritage

Archaeologyand monuments

The Cultural Protection Fund is based upon a broad and inclusive definition of cultural heritage, encompassing not only tangible assets – such as monuments and collections – but also intangible elements of culture that people wish to safeguard and pass on to future generations.

SECTION FOURProject progress and outcomes review

© British Council24


Section four

Category Outcome

Cultural heritage protection Cultural heritage under threat is researched, documented, conserved and/or restored to safeguard against permanent loss.

Training and capacity building Local professionals have sufficient business or specialist skills to be able to manage and promote cultural assets which [will] benefit the local economy and society.

Advocacy and education Local people are able to identify and value their cultural heritage and have a good understanding of what can be done to protect their cultural heritage and the role it plays in society and the economy.

Outcome Number of projects

Cultural heritage protection 51

Training and capacity building 48

Advocacy and education 46

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Section four

At the end of the financial year, 42 projects were still in delivery, and a total of nine projects had completed. One project was cancelled this year due to permissions for this project being refused. This project is discussed in more detail in the key challenges and delivery variances section below. Most projects are due to finish by January 2020, and all will be completed by March 2020. Appendix 1 provides summary information on each project, the percentage of grant claimed to date and its status.

Outcomes review

The CPF has three main outcomes which its funded projects are working to achieve:

In order to be eligible for funding, projects must set out to achieve at least the cultural heritage protection outcome and, ideally, one or both of the other two outcomes. A review of the outcomes being achieved by the 51 funded projects was completed in early 2019. This indicated that although only the cultural heritage protection outcome is mandatory, projects are achieving all three outcomes strongly. As demonstrated in the table below, nearly all (48) of the 51 funded projects are achieving training and capacity building, followed by 46 projects which are delivering on advocacy and education.

Figure 14: Number of funded projects achieving each outcome

Under each of these three outcomes, there is a very broad range of activities taking place, as illustrated in the following table, which shows the CPF’s three outcomes broken down into more specific sub-outcomes. The most popular activities are identification and recording (37) and skills development (37), followed by cultural heritage interpretation (30) and advocacy work around helping people to better understand and value their cultural heritage (32). There are also some excellent examples of equality, diversity and inclusion outcomes, with women and ethnic minorities participating in a wide range of training activities.

Outcome Sub-outcome Number of projects

Cultural heritage protection Cultural heritage will be in better condition and/or safeguarded

26

Cultural heritage will be better identified and/or recorded

37

Cultural heritage will be better managed

22

Training and capacity building Local staff and/or volunteers will have developed skills

37

The cultural heritage workforce will be more diverse

17

Advocacy and education Cultural heritage will be better interpreted and explained

30

People will have volunteered time 19

Local people will have a better understanding of their cultural heritage and value it more

32

More and a wider range of people will have engaged with cultural heritage

24

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Figure 15: Number of funded projects achieving each sub-outcome

Outcome highlights from 2018 to 2019

The following is a summary of highlights from the outcomes review undertaken at the end of 2018–19. Due to the number of projects in delivery this year, it is not exhaustive. It aims to provide an overview of the types of activities undertaken across the 12 target countries.

Outcome 1: CULTURAL HERITAGE PROTECTION

1.1 Better condition/safeguarded

A highly significant 14th-century Mamluk façade in the Old City of Jerusalem (the Al-Madrassah Al-Arghuniyyah Façade) has been repaired and restored in line with international conservation standards. Welfare Association UK

The Moqbil Mosque in the Shali Fortress at the Siwa Oasis has been restored successfully to the satisfaction of the local community. Traditional kershef (salt rock) building techniques have been passed on to ten local people as part of the project. Environmental Quality International

A conservation lab has been established within the Khalidi Library in Jerusalem, and 50 at-risk manuscripts within the library’s collection have been conserved. Khalidi Library

In the municipality of As-Samou’ in the West Bank, 27 vernacular ahwash (compounds) have been cleaned and cleared of vegetation, achieving double the initial target. Of these, 12 are currently being conserved and restored. HYDEA

Work is under way to protect and improve the condition of Saint Hilarion Monastery and a Byzantine church in Jabalia in Gaza. A protective wall has been constructed at the monastery, and pathways have been cleared and made accessible to visitors. Restoration of Saint Hilarion’s crypt and a mosaic on the crypt’s walls is currently under way. At the Byzantine Church, the site has been cleaned and a reception building and entrance to the garden at the site has been rehabilitated. Première Urgence International

Traditional stonemasonry skills and techniques relating to Syrian stone-built heritage have been passed down to 42 Syrian and Jordanian trainees through an intensive 52-week, UK-accredited training course in Mafraq, Jordan. World Monuments Fund Britain

Vernacular mud-brick construction techniques relating to traditional Syrian domed houses have been safeguarded through training provided for Syrian refugees. Two of these trainees are now considered to be masters of these skills, which will be necessary to reconstruct houses in Syria that have deteriorated due to the ongoing conflict. Arcenciel

1.2 Better managed

The EAMENA training programme has created and implemented tools for monitoring archaeological sites, developing ‘watch lists’ of the most significant and endangered heritage assets in each of their target countries. To date, a watch list with c. 700 monuments has been developed by Tunisian trainees and a watch list for Libya is in progress for c. 1,300 monuments and sites. Planning is under way to establish the EAMENA database as national heritage inventories for Yemen, Occupied Palestinian Territories and Jordan. Oxford, Durham and Leicester Universities

The Training in Action programme has been working with the national heritage agencies of Tunisia and Libya to build their capacity to document and manage the cultural heritage sites that they are responsible for. This includes the training of 21 Libyans and 17 Tunisians in GPS survey and location, importation of data into geographic information systems (GIS), analysis for managing sites and defining buffer zones. In addition, six Libyan and four Tunisian museum staff have been trained in the cataloguing of objects in museums and storerooms using a specialised recording app developed by the project. The training programmes have included candidates from both the East and West of Libya. Durham University

© Khalidi Library

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Four CPF projects have adopted new management and maintenance plans created as part of their projects this year. This includes five-year management and maintenance plans for the Moqbil Mosque in Egypt’s Western Desert (Environmental Quality International), the Ein Al Balad in the Land of Olives and Vines World Heritage Site in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (Centre for Cultural Heritage Preservation) and the collection and resources of the Khalidi Library in Jerusalem. A 20-year data management plan has been adopted by Coventry University to safeguard recordings of Bedouin intangible cultural heritage created as part of their project.

Two hundred and eighty-four professionals from the Turkish heritage workforce have gained awareness of the potential uses of reflectance transformation imaging (RTI) for condition monitoring and the management of monuments, nearly three times higher than originally planned. University of Liverpool

1.3 Identified and recorded

A condition assessment of 150 works of art damaged by the Taliban has been carried out at the Afghan National Art Gallery in Kabul. This has provided recommendations on their future repair and conservation, which are currently being undertaken. Foundation for Culture and Civil Society

Important aspects of Yazidi cultural tradition and identity have been recorded in eight documentary films focusing on endangered Yazidi shrines and associated cultural practices in northern Iraq. University of Liverpool

Living memories, traditional practices and pastoral routes relating to Bedouin communities across the Levant have been safeguarded through participatory approaches to oral history, archiving and other documentation techniques in projects led by the Institute for Heritage and Sustainable Human Development, Bethlehem University and Coventry University. This includes over 60 hours of oral history testimony from 75 members of the Bedouin communities in the Jordan Valley and South Hebron Hills recorded by Coventry University.

A core set of drone images covering an 8km2 area have been taken of Charax Spasinou, an important archaeological site in Basra province. This is being used to document surface features within the site. A large-scale geophysical survey has also been undertaken and around 250 coins have been retrieved from systematic field walking. Further funding has been secured to process drone data using the Google Compute Engine, which may provide an approach for Iraqi archaeologists in the future. University of Manchester

One hundred and two historical buildings in As-Samou’, Gaza, have been identified, assessed and documented. This was four times higher than their original target due to strong support from the municipality and local community. HYDEA

One hundred and fifty cultural heritage sites on the island of Soqotra have been visited and documented. Those close to the capital of Hadibo have been informally assessed for threats. These assessments are being developed and will be included in routine site recording. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

The Training in Action programme has collected data through performing surveys and recording of cultural heritage in Libya. This includes complete surveys of the World Heritage Sites of Lepcis Magna and Sabratha, as well as a further 190 sites in the territory of Tarhuna and a survey around the site of Barqa. The project has also recorded 300 objects contained within the museums of Lepcis Magna and Cyrene using an app developed by the project. Durham University

Over 9,500 new records have been created for the EAMENA database by the trainees from the eight countries. Trainees have learnt how to create site records for the database as part of the workshops and around 60 per cent of the 16,000 sites in the region have been recorded by those trained by the project. Oxford, Durham and Leicester Universities

© Foundation for Culture & Civil Society

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2.1 Developed skills

Turquoise Mountain Trust has provided multiple types of training as part of its restoration of the historic district of Murad Khani in Kabul. Thirty-three architects, engineers and site supervisors have been provided with on the job training in the restoration of historic buildings. Five hundred labourers have been trained in traditional construction methods. One hundred and thirty-eight people have been trained in areas of design, including 12 jewellers and calligraphers in project design and 126 people in jewellery making, gem cutting, woodwork, calligraphy, miniature painting and ceramics.

One hundred young people from refugee and host communities in Jordan and Lebanon have received intensive training in Syrian traditional music and performance skills. They are now able to perform 50 pieces of music and have performed in concerts in Jordan and Lebanon. Twenty local music teachers have acquired advanced skills in teaching traditional Syrian music. Action for Hope

Twenty Bedouin young people from the Occupied Palestinian Territories were taught oral history theory and recording techniques to document the intangible cultural heritage of their communities. Eight of these young people were given the opportunity to develop skills in presenting and advocating for their cultural heritage by participating in workshop and outreach meetings with Bir Zeit University, UNESCO, the Palestinian Ministry of Culture and the Mayor of Susya. Coventry University

In Egypt, 50 individuals from 14 Coptic communities have been trained in the skills necessary to gather and record intangible cultural heritage within their communities. Institute of Development Studies

More than 130 people have been trained in the EAMENA method of monitoring cultural heritage, including trainees from Tunisia, Libya, Jordan, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen. Oxford, Durham and Leicester Universities

As part of the Friends of Basrah Museum project, 16 Iraqi museum professionals were trained in museum management and presentation. One hundred per cent of those who attended this training would recommend it.

Fifty students and recent graduates in Gaza have gained knowledge of topics related to the conservation and restoration of archaeological sites. Of those trained, 13 have joined the restoration and preservation work on the Saint Hilarion Monastery. They participated in stone cutting and shaping, and the restoration and consolidation of masonry. Première Urgence International

Three staff from libraries in Jerusalem have received training in manuscript conservation techniques and are continuing to work on the restoration of basic manuscripts under the supervision of their trainer. Khalidi Library

Eight young Yazidis have been trained in documentary filmmaking and heritage management, focusing on Yazidi shrines. University of Liverpool

2.2 More diverse heritage workforce

Of the 42 candidates trained in stonemasonry in Mafraq, 12 were women, including five Syrian refugees. The leadership of this project in Jordan was predominantly made up of women. World Monuments Fund Britain

Eight women have been trained in product design as part of Turquoise Mountain Design Centre programmes for artisans in business. The workforce involved in the restoration effort in the Murad Khani represents people from 21 of Afghanistan’s provinces.

Training sessions for Bedouin youth as part of Coventry University’s project had a gender balance of 47 per cent women and 53 per cent men. Both local trainers engaged by the project were women.

Sixteen women from Tunisia and Libya have been involved in Training in Action’s training programmes. Durham University

© Turquoise Mountain

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Nine female surveyors and seven female volunteers have been trained in documentation, condition assessment and survey of Mamluk minbars in Cairo. Egyptian Heritage Rescue Foundation

Of the ten trainees learning kershef (salt rock) construction techniques in Siwa, eight of them were under the age of 30. Environmental Quality International

3.1 Better interpreted and explained

The Virtual Experience Company has created an interactive website which has significant educational content on the Ksar Said Palace in Tunis. The content for this had been developed in partnership with Cambridge University, the Rambourg Foundation and the Institute Nationale de Patrimoine and tested with local schools and teachers.

A permanent exhibition has been opened at the Khalidi Library in Jerusalem focusing on the history and content of the library. This displays a number of reproduction manuscripts and one original.

An informative map and two walking routes have been created focusing on Neolithic dolmens in Menjez in Lebanon. University of Geneva

360-degree camera filming has taken place in the Murad Khani in Kabul. The Great Serai, a merchant’s palace, has been documented in 3D in partnership with Google Arts & Culture and ICONEM. Intangible cultural heritage research data has also been shared via the Google Arts & Culture platform. Documentaries on Nastaliq calligraphy and traditional wood carving have been created, including their history, process and techniques. Entrance boards for the Murad Khani are now displayed. Turquoise Mountain Trust

A display of artefacts gathered in the survey of Charax Spasinou will be created in Basrah Museum, including a dedicated display case and information panel. The first items selected in the field have been stored in Basrah Museum. University of Manchester and Friends of Basrah Museum.

3.2 Local people will have a better understanding of their cultural heritage and value it more

Two hundred and fifty-four Syrian and Jordanian school children have participated in a series of workshops focusing on cultural heritage and three field trips to the Umm Al Jimmal archaeological site. These were organised by the Petra National Trust. World Monuments Fund Britain

Edinburgh World Heritage Trust have delivered awareness-raising sessions with information on conservation management for over 170 trainees from Mardin and Antakya, including home owners, tour guides, teachers and local authority members.

Three hundred and seventy-nine primary and secondary school students and 557 university students have taken part in visitor programmes to the Murad Khani in Kabul. Some of these university students have received specialised training. Turquoise Mountain Trust

Thirty-five children and 40 adults local to the archaeological site of Iunca have participated in outreach activities delivered by Tunisian and Libyan trainees involved in the Training in Action project. Durham University

Ninety children took part in literacy classes in Nuristani language. This included 13 Nuristani Dari speakers who wanted to learn how to read ‘their own language’. This gives evidence of language regeneration and exceeds expectations by promoting Nuristani language in a group where there was assumed to be no interest. SIL International

Ninety-one people, including architects, students and engineers, attended workshops that provided an introduction to Syrian cultural heritage and the production of mud-bricks for building Syrian domed houses. Arcenciel

© Durham University

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3.3 People will have volunteered time

Ten volunteers were involved in cleaning traditional vernacular architecture in As-Samou’, providing 300 days of cleaning work. Seven graduates volunteered at excavations of traditional buildings. HYDEA

Twenty Bedouin youth researchers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories contributed 500 volunteer days to training, oral history recording, study tours and implementation of Small Grant projects. Seventy-five people from Bedouin communities, representing 34 men and 41 women, volunteered their time to have their memories recorded. Coventry University

Twelve volunteers from five states in Sudan have volunteered their time to research and gather data related to traditional food. DAL Charity

Fourteen teachers volunteered their time to feedback on the design of educational content related to the Ksar Said Palace. Virtual Experience Company

A volunteer programme at Basrah Museum has seen 40 volunteers involved in the labelling of objects and the delivery of outreach activities. A local Iraqi ‘Friends of Basrah Museum’ group has been formally established and three volunteers have attended training focusing on museum skills. Friends of Basrah Museum

3.4 More and a wider range of people will have engaged with cultural heritage

An event focusing on Nuristani culture, craft and language has been hosted in Kabul. This included traditional musicians who were recorded as part of the event and the showcasing of traditional craft. This was attended by 400 Nuristanis from both Kabul and Nuristan. SIL International

Thirty-eight young people from five different areas of Lebanon have worked together on a cultural heritage project aiming to build social cohesion. This has included exchanges and visiting local cultural heritage sites. Search for Common Ground

Two awareness-raising events focusing on poetry, music, dance and theatre took place on Soqotra, engaging an estimated 5,000 people. Fifty per cent of these attendees were women and children. This allowed further engagement with Soqotri, the endangered local language. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

Nearly 4,000 people have visited the Saint Hilarion monastery in Gaza as part of project outreach activities. Première Urgence International

Articles related to the Syrian Stonemasonry Training Scheme received a large amount of media coverage. The total estimated reach of all published articles is 28,291,272 people. The total estimated reach for all social media activity related to the project is 10,946,19. World Monuments Fund Britain

Eight documentary films showcasing Yazidi temples and cultural practices have been shown at a public festival in Sulaymaniyah and other locations in Iraq and the UK. University of Liverpool

Key challenges and delivery variances

CPF projects are operating within challenging contexts and have faced a range of delivery issues over the course of the year. The most common challenges affecting projects this year include:

• difficulty transferring funds into target countries • changing political circumstance • denied visas • conflict escalation • delayed or refused permissions • partner divergence • staff changes • loss of grant due to unforeseen delays.

© Hydea

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In cases where projects have been affected, CPF staff have worked closely with grantees to find solutions, supporting adaptations to projects where possible. In nearly all cases, this responsive grant-making approach has enabled projects to continue and achieve agreed objectives despite minor variances in targets, budgets or timetables. However, one project was cancelled this year due to an insurmountable issue relating to permissions. This project and three others are outlined briefly below to illustrate the British Council’s approach to working with grantees to deal with project challenges.

Case 1: Partner divergence

A UK institution delivering a participatory project with Coptic youth in Egypt encountered a problem this year when the local partner would no longer carry out its role liaising with and supporting the local participants. This issue threatened to bring the project to a close as the participants were no longer able to effectively engage with the project. However, the British Council recognised the value of the project and encouraged the grantee to explore alternative avenues for engaging Coptic youth. This resulted in a diversification of project partners, enabling the project to work with Coptic youth from different denominations. New outreach and communication channels – including television – were also employed, making it easier to reach audiences directly. In addition to enabling the project to continue successfully, these changes enhanced project outcomes by bringing youth together from across denominational divides, breaking down existing barriers and stereotypes through participation in shared cultural heritage.

Case 2: Denied visa

A project participant in the Occupied Palestinian Territories recently encountered difficulty obtaining a visa to visit the UK for training. This was problematic for the project as there was only a small number of museum staff available to undertake the training. When British Council staff were informed of this issue, we liaised with our partners at DCMS so that the nature and importance of the training could be clarified to Home Office colleagues, and the visa was approved as a result.

Case 3: Denied permissions

The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, was awarded a grant of £99,960 in March 2017 to undertake archaeological survey work at the Rum Kale site in Turkey. A number of difficulties in securing formal permissions to undertake the work were encountered over the next year, meaning that project activities were unable to commence. Grant managers at the British Council were very supportive of the project and willing to grant extensions as long as delivery of the project remained feasible. However, the situation became more uncertain towards the middle of this financial year, and there was no longer enough time to carry out the work in the way that had been envisaged. After discussions with the grantee, the decision was taken in August 2018 to cancel the project so that the remaining grant could be reallocated to a new project. This was a very disappointing outcome, particularly for the grantee, who had invested a great deal of time and energy in setting up the project. A full evaluation report has been provided by the grantee, and the British Council is using this to better understand the circumstances around this project cancellation and to evaluate our work in Turkey.

Case 4: Loss of grant due to unforeseen delays

A grantee working in Sudan encountered delays this year due to restrictions on movement and temporary closure of key organisations. This made the delivery of key objectives (the publication of the data which had already been collected) impossible, meaning that the project could not complete before the end of the financial year as planned. Although transfer of grant from one financial year to another is not possible according to the standard terms of grant, the British Council agreed to finance a small grant increase request from its own funds to cover key activities to be undertaken next financial year. As a result of this, the project will be able to complete its agreed objectives.

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SECTION FIVEReport on the British Museum’s Iraq Scheme

© British Museum33


Section five

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Section five

Prior to the formal establishment of the CPF in 2016, the British Museum was granted five years of funding (£2.9m) through the DCMS for the Iraq Emergency Heritage Management Training Scheme (or Iraq Scheme). The scheme became a pilot project for the CPF and is therefore included in the annual reporting.

In 2015, in response to the appalling destruction by Daesh of heritage sites in Iraq and Syria, the British Museum developed a scheme which, in the face of frustration and outrage, would offer something positive and constructive. The Iraq Scheme builds capacity in the Iraq State Board of Antiquities and Heritage by training 50 of its staff in a wide variety of sophisticated techniques of retrieval and rescue archaeology. The four-year training programme prepares the State Board for the aftermath of the devastation to heritage sites, monuments and museums, wrought by Daesh. Working in close partnership with the State Board, the scheme delivers state-of-the-art training in all aspects of archaeological fieldwork from geophysical and geomatic surveying and documentation, to complex excavation methodology.

The training is undertaken first in the UK, largely at the British Museum, and then on two specially selected archaeological sites in safe areas of Iraq: Tello (ancient Girsu), a well-known and important Sumerian site in the South, and Darband-i Rania, a previously unexplored cluster of closely related sites in the Sulaimaniya province of Iraqi Kurdistan. The programme provides participants with the expertise and skills they need to face the challenges of documenting and stabilising severely disrupted and damaged heritage sites in preparation for potential reconstruction.

The London-based training continued successfully in 2018. The structure and content of the programme is well honed, and the scheme has greatly benefited from the continued and dedicated participation of a wide range of external partners. This has given a high level of consistency to the delivery of the programme. Based on the feedback of earlier participants, more time was given to the teaching of GIS and to both manual and digital illustration. The excavation in Kurdistan has seen the introduction of on-site training in geophysics, with classroom instruction preparing the way for using the equipment in the field, and processing the results back in the dighouse. At Tello, teaching new techniques of surveying with state-of-the-art equipment, such as drones and satellite Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, was a key element in the programme. Reconstructing the ancient landscapes and hydrology of Iraq has become a priority for the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, and, in this respect, the training course aimed to offer the Iraq Scheme participants a complementary training programme, introducing them to a wider and deeper skill set. As part of the autumn 2018 excavation season, a geo-archaeological survey of the ancient channels around Girsu was conducted.

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During the past year the fourth and fifth groups of participants were trained in the UK and Iraq, comprising, together, 16 female heritage professionals. The fourth group of eight, all from the Mosul region, were the first women to be trained in the programme. Following their Iraq Scheme training, most of them are now working as part of the Nineveh rescue team to assess the damage inflicted by Daesh on this important heritage site. The women are also the subject of a two-part BBC World Service documentary broadcast in late June 2019.

The sixth group of male participants is currently training in the UK (from March until May 2019). The eight represent various regions of Iraq, from Erbil in Kurdistan to Basra in the south. By the end of 2019, the programme will have trained a total of 50 State Board professionals and covered all provinces.

The Iraq Scheme’s significant contribution to building capacity within the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage has become evident over the past few years. Following their Iraq Scheme training, one graduate was recently appointed as Director of Antiquities for Anbar province, and another as Head Inspector for International Teams in Iraq. Other graduates have continued their vital work in protecting and preserving their local cultural heritage, in projects ranging from the production of a geographical survey of the Soran region to an assessment of the destruction within the Old City of Mosul.

In early 2019, a video showcasing the Iraq Scheme was featured in the British Museum’s successful ‘Ashurbanipal’ exhibition, reaching over 100,000 visitors and communicating the Iraq Scheme’s work to new audiences.

SECTION SIXSustainable Development Goals review

© EQI36


Section six

This year, the British Council has undertaken research to identify development outcomes achieved by projects, using the UN Sustainable Development Goals as a point of reference (https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs). It is clear from this analysis that there are several instances where the CPF’s projects are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, their targets and their indicators. The most obvious example of this is Target 11.4, which relates directly to the protection and safeguarding of cultural heritage; however, there are areas of relevance across several other goals (e.g. housing, education and gender equality), demonstrating the holistic, people-focused approach of the fund. It is important to note that the project activities described below do not necessarily demonstrate the specific indicators of the goals – as these are more relevant to the remit of national governments – but they are still worth noting as examples of thematic relevance and a strong indication of the fund’s development aims. Highlights from the research are outlined below.

SDG 11: SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES

11.4 Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage

The Cultural Protection Fund has to date funded 51 projects worth £24.5 million in 12 target countries that are considered to be affected by conflict. Of these countries, the DAC list currently categorises three as least developed countries (Afghanistan, Sudan and Yemen), three as lower middle income countries and territories (Egypt, Syria and the West Bank and Gaza strip), and six as upper middle income countries (Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Turkey and Tunisia).2

11.1 Ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums

In the historic centres of Tripoli and Saida in Lebanon, UN-Habitat is restoring and upgrading 36 traditional buildings encompassing 133 residences. This involves connecting water and electricity to these buildings, improving access to basic services.

11.3 Enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries

A number of CPF projects are involving people in the planning process relating to historic towns and sites. For example, local residents have been consulted in the development of planning recommendations for the historic hill-top town of Amedi in Iraq. In Battir in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, workshops were to ensure that restoration work to the Ein Al Balad and Al Maiden squares met the needs of the local community. HYDEA has also engaged with the local community of As-Samou’ to define the final programme for adaptive re-use for the Hosh Al-Aqeeli, a building being renovated by the project.

2 www.oecd.org/dac/financing-sustainable-development/ development-finance-standards/daclist.htm

Given that the Cultural Protection Fund is financed by official development assistance, the fund’s outcomes are designed to contribute not only to cultural heritage protection, but also to promotion of the economic development and social welfare of developing countries.

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CPF projects also seek to build records of cultural heritage so that it can be considered in cases of development. For example, Tunisian and Libyan heritage professionals are learning GIS use and analysis to define buffer zones around heritage sites. Further to this, the EAMENA database seeks to record heritage sites and to ensure that they can be considered in cases of development. Manchester University has surveyed 28 sites around Charax Spasinou and will transfer this data to the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage of Iraq so they can be considered in planning.

11.7 Creation of safe and inclusive green and public spaces

The restoration of Al Maiden Square in Battir has provided an open space where cultural activities can take place. This has led to more visitors to the area, and a successful market was hosted in this new space. A project seeking to restore a Sufi shrine in the West Bank will also create a secure community park around the site.

SDG 4: QUALITY EDUCATION

4.4 Increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship

Although the indicator (4.4.1) for this target is less relevant as it is focused on information, communications and technology (ICT) skills, a large number of CPF projects are working to increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills – including technical and vocational skills – for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship. For example, Turquoise Mountain’s project has included accredited training for local people in the creation of traditional crafts in Kabul. One hundred and twenty-six people are learning jewellery making, gem cutting, woodwork, calligraphy, miniature painting and ceramics. A further 12 jewellers and calligraphers have been trained in product design. A design centre has been completed and a curriculum has been developed which has included teaching 48 school children heritage pattern drawing. Since January 2017, Turquoise Mountain and associated artisans have generated in excess of $2m. This area of work is also relevant to the ‘productive employment’ referenced in SDG 8.5 and to the promotion of local culture and products referenced in SDG 8.9.

The training of 42 Syrians and Jordanians in conservation stonemasonry has provided relevant vocational skills and the chance for productive employment. Market research undertaken by the project suggests that there are significant market opportunities for graduates from the Stone Masonry Training Scheme to enter the high-end construction sector in Jordan. The project also shows a commitment to improving employment opportunities in future programmes of this type by providing training in mechanical tools common in the commercial sector and linking trainees to manufacturers in the stone industry in a more systematic way.3

Action for Hope music schools are educating young people in Lebanon and Jordan, including Syrian refugees, to gain advanced knowledge of traditional Syrian music and obtain high-level music performance skills that could be used professionally. An extension of the project will seek to provide 54 young musicians with professional- level skills in traditional music, while 12 young musicians will gain skills to manage and market their work.4

4.6 All youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy

A project focusing on Nuristani language in Afghanistan has educated 90 children and ten young men in literacy in Nuristani. Of these students, 13 were Dari-speaking Nuristanis who wished to learn ‘their own language’. One hundred and fifty-two students also received tuition in English and maths. Through this tuition 87 per cent of the children showed good progress in literacy skills, while all ten young men passed the examination.

3 Syrian Stonemasonry Evaluation Report: 13.4 Action for Hope Music Schools evaluation plan – updated December 2018.

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Section six

4.7 Ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote … global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development

Search for Common Ground’s project in Lebanon has brought together 36 youth from six diverse communities to develop a shared understanding of cultural heritage. Similarly, the Virtual Experience Company’s website, focusing on the Ksar Said Palace in Tunis, included educational material aiming to encourage young Tunisians to examine the influences that make up Tunisian culture to ‘develop an understanding of the richness of their culture and a view that what surrounds them is uniquely Tunisian, rather than “foreign”’.5 During the testing of the educational content ‘students were surprised by the impact of other languages on Tunisian Arabic, displaying evidence that their preconceptions about their language had been effectively challenged’. A teacher also stated that having access to content like this was essential for students to explore their own conceptions of Tunisian culture.6

SDG 5: GENDER EQUALITY

5.1 End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere

Many CPF projects are addressing gender inequality through targeted inclusion of women. World Monuments Fund Britain’s Syrian Stonemasonry project included 12 Syrian and Jordanian women, 30 per cent of the total graduating class. A participant in the programme states: ‘Women, have proved they can do anything, even as sculptors’.7 Trainee Khadejah Hesham, who is a refugee from Homs in Syria, has stated: ‘In the beginning I was shy when I held the mallet and chisel, but day by day I have become more confident. There is nothing to prevent women from working, women are half of the community.’

Further to this, 36 per cent of those trained in the EAMENA methodology of monitoring cultural heritage have been women. Three of eight Yazidis trained in documentary filmmaking to record their cultural heritage were women. A total of 16 women have been trained in documentation, condition assessment and survey of Mamluk minbars in Cairo.

5.5 Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision making

Women account for five of the seven leadership roles in the Syrian Stonemasonry Training Scheme in Jordan. The two trainers involved in teaching Bedouin young people oral history and recording techniques were women. Through the inclusion of female professionals in international training programmes, including EAMENA, Training in Action and Circulating Artefacts, it is hoped that these projects will further inclusion of women in the heritage sectors within the CPF’s target countries.

5 CPS-258-16 Palais Ksar Said Evaluation Report: 1. 6 CPS-258-16 Palais Ksar Said Evaluation Report: 7. 7 Syrian Stonemasonry Sandstone Film. Timecode: 8.06.

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Section six

SDG 8: DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

8.9 Devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products

On the island of Soqotra, a cultural tourism consultant has been appointed to develop a tourism recovery strategy and assess 20 cultural heritage sites for tourism potential. Workshops, discussions and practical exercises on managing tourism have been undertaken by Soqotri heritage professionals being trained as part of the project. A project rehabilitating a square in Battir has promoted tourism in the town through the creation of promotional materials. The project has increased visitors to the site by 1,400 people and organised a market at the rehabilitated square, which 50 per cent of locals surveyed considered benefited them economically. Kiosks were also made to be used for future cultural and economic activities in this location.

CPF projects are also developing skills in tour guiding. In Lebanon, 36 young people have gained skills in presenting their cultural heritage as well as mapping their cultural heritage. Also in Lebanon, 40 young people in Tripoli and Saida are being trained as tour guides for six heritage trails currently under development. Ten guides have improved their knowledge of Palestinian ethnography as part of a project focusing on agricultural practices along the ‘Abraham’s Path’ cultural route. Twenty local young people in Deir Ammar in the West Bank will be trained in tour guiding as part of a project to conserve the shrine of Nabi Ghaith and to encourage tourism in the area. Ten Bedouin youth researchers received tour guide training in Al Twani village, which they in turn used to create trails focusing on their local cultural heritage. Fifty people from outside of the village have visited these trails and these visitors have been given the chance to purchase crafts from a local co-operative shop.

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Section six

SDG 10: REDUCE INEQUALITIES WITHIN AND AMONG COUNTRIES

10.2 Empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status

There are multiple CPF projects engaging with Syrian refugees in both Lebanon and Jordan. CPF projects are also engaging with minority communities in many of its target countries. The training of eight Yazidi young people has led to the creation of eight documentaries focusing on Yazidi cultural heritage. These films have been shown at a film festival in Sulaymaniyah and will be broadcast on TV, reaching a broader range of people outside of the Yazidi community and providing information on the community and the damage caused to its cultural heritage by Daesh.

Coventry University’s project worked with Bedouin communities in the South Hebron Hills and North Jordan Valley in the West Bank. Four youth researchers joined project representatives in outreach meetings and took the lead in presenting the project to Bir Zeit University, the Mayor of Susya, the Palestinian Ministry of Culture and UNESCO. The communities included in this project are marginalised to such an extent that policymakers had not heard of them. The project has highlighted these communities for decision makers. As the project co-ordinator for Al Twani put it: ‘This is what this project is about, putting our village on the map.’

The Institute for Development Studies, part of the University of Sussex, is working with 15 Coptic communities in Egypt to capture intangible cultural heritage. Part of this work is to reflect the diversity of the community, with the recordings representing diversity within these communities, including poor Copts from remote villages, women and young people. The project seeks to use its outputs to engage with civil society organisations as well as with the Ministry of Culture.

SDG 16: PEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS

16.6 Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

Many CPF projects are working with national departments of antiquities, regional departments of antiquities and local municipalities in target countries to further develop their capacity in the protection, management and monitoring of heritage. The full extent of this work is too broad to fully cover in this report, but here are a few examples: Oxford, Leicester and Durham universities are training 150 heritage professionals from national antiquities departments of nine countries in the EAMENA method of monitoring cultural heritage. In the Garmian region of Iraq, the University of Glasgow is training local antiquities staff from the Sulaymaniyah Directorate of Antiquities in excavation, survey methods, site identification, field recording and finds recording. In Lebanon, representatives from the Saida and Tripoli municipalities are being trained in the maintenance of historic buildings.

SDG 17: PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE GOALS

17.17 Promote effective public, public–private and civil society partnerships

All but two CPF projects are delivered by a consortium of partners. In the case of the 30 projects where the lead grantee is located in the UK, this partnership includes at least one partner from one of the fund’s target countries. This arrangement encourages both international and national partnership working and ensures that the resources and expertise of the partners are shared in order to achieve CPF objectives.

Grantees include NGOs and INGOS, IGOs, university departments and heritage organisations (e.g. museums, libraries and archives). These grantees establish partnership with governments at all levels in developing countries, as well as local NGOs, universities, and other civil society organisations such as religious groups and community co-operatives. This approach forgoes the usual government-to-government model for the protection of cultural heritage and allows for expert grantees to work in partnership for the protection of cultural heritage in developing countries.

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Section six

SECTION SEVENCommunications and stakeholder engagement

© British Council42


Section seven

This year we have increased promotional activity relating to the fund’s activities as the projects develop. We have also undertaken some focused activity to promote the impact of the fund so far as we look to make the case for future funding.

In May 2018, British Council trustee and BBC journalist Kirsty Lang visited World Monuments Fund Britain’s Syrian Stonemasonry programme in Jordan and published a profile on BBC Arts that was widely shared.

In November 2018, we partnered with the Culture in Crisis team at the V&A to deliver two events that showcased CPF projects. Over 240 people attended the talks. The second talk was chaired by Bettany Hughes and brought together senior stakeholders from across the global heritage sector.

Over the last year we have been working with Bettany Hughes on two documentaries about CPF projects. The films have now been broadcast to an audience of more than 100 million on BBC World and BBC UK News.

We have also curated and hosted two exhibitions to highlight the impact of the fund, the first of which was held in the UK Parliament over a week in February 2019 engaging with key government stakeholders.

Although reach and engagement related to CPF posts is growing on our social channels, website user rates have started to decline since no further funding was available. We are prepared to launch a global campaign if/when funding is announced, but it should be noted that it will be difficult to maintain audience numbers with no information on future funding or calls to action across our channels.

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Section seven

APPENDICES

© Virtual Experience Company44


Appendices

Appendix 1. Grant awards data

Grants awarded in the financial year 2016 –17

Project Award date (i)=increase (e)=extension

Grant amount

Lead applicant

Partners Target area % of total grant claimed

Status

Training in endangered archaeology methodology

This project is training archaeologists from eight target countries in the use of an open-source recording methodology which will enable them to better monitor and protect endangered cultural heritage sites.

Nov ‘16

June ‘17 (i)

June ‘18 (i)

Dec ‘18 (e)

Mar ‘19 (i)

Total grant

£1,615,025

£99,099

£99,999

£299,934

£46,998

£2,161,055

University of Oxford

University of Leicester; University of Durham; Department of Antiquities, Jordan; Department of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage, Occupied Palestinian Territories; General Organisation of Antiquities and Museums, Yemen; Department of Antiquities, Libya; Directorate General of Antiquities, Lebanon; Institut National du Patrimoine, Tunisia; State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, Iraq; Ministry of State of Antiquities, Egypt; and Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Egypt

Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Libya, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Tunisia, Yemen

68% Delivery

Training in action

This project is training staff from the Libyan and Tunisian national heritage organisations in documentation techniques, preventive conservation and heritage management issues.

Nov ‘16

Dec ‘18 (e)

Mar ‘19 (i)

Total grant

£657,076

£299,059

£7,690

£963,825

University of Durham

Department of Antiquities of Libya, Institut National du Partimone de Tunisie, Society of Libyan Studies

Libya and Tunisia

67% Delivery

The completion of the new Basrah Museum

This project will complete the three remaining galleries of the recently opened Basrah Museum in Iraq, as well as providing training to museum staff and volunteers.

Nov ‘16

Aug ‘17 (i)

Dec ‘18 (e)

Total grant

£460,000

£70,600

£241,125

£771,725

The Friends of Basrah Museum

Department of Antiquities and Heritage, Basrah; State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, Baghdad; HWH & Associates

Iraq 73% Delivery

Ground survey, documentation and protection

This project is undertaking a survey and documentation of the pre-Islamic Alexandrian city of Charax and 14 other sites in the Basrah province in order to provide baseline data for future management of the sites. Advanced training is also being provided to Iraqi archaeologists.

Nov ‘16 £329,780 University of Manchester

State Board for Antiquities and Heritage, Iraq

Iraq 64% Delivery

45


Appendices


Grant amount

Lead applicant


Status

Preserving Afghan heritage

This project focuses on the protection of built heritage and intangible craft skills in Kabul’s historic Old City Murad Khani and involves the training of hundreds of local labourers, artisans, architects and engineers.

Nov ‘16

Dec ‘18 (e)

Total grant

£2,497,198

£299,801

£2,796,999

Turquoise Mountain Trust

Turquoise Mountain Foundation, Turquoise Mountain Institute

Afghanistan 85% Delivery

Carved in stone

This project has documented endangered rock-cut reliefs in Turkey and raised awareness of their importance through educational workshops. Local heritage professionals have received training in RTI.

Nov ‘16 £100,000 University of Liverpool

FETAV (Fethiye Turizm Tanitim Egitim Kultur ve Cevre Vakfi), Mediterranean Civilizations Research Institute (MCRI) Akdeniz University, Department of Archaeology at the Hacettepe University in Ankara

Turkey 97%8 Complete

Revival of the Mosque of Moqbil

This project has restored a traditional kershef (rock-salt) mosque in the Siwa Oasis and provided training in traditional building skills to local people. The restored mosque is now in use by the local community.

Nov ‘16 £79,520 Environmental Quality International

None Egypt 100% Complete

Preserving Palestinian heritage

This project has expanded public access to the largest private collection of Arabic manuscripts in Jerusalem, as well as restoring vulnerable manuscripts in a newly established conservation lab.

Dec ‘16 £98,000 The Khalidi Library

The Kenyon Institute Occupied Palestinian Territories

100% Complete

Digital documentation of the Ksar Said Palace

This project has digitally documented a historically important palace in Tunis and provided a 3D model for use in educational workshops.

Mar ‘17 £93,125 Virtual Experience Company

The Rambourg Foundation, Cambridge University Technical Services Limited

Tunisia 100% Complete

Documenting and protecting heritage at Rum Kale

This project aimed to undertake recording and prepare management plans for the fortified archaeological site of Rum Kale.

Mar ‘17 £99,960 The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)

The Gaziantep Archaeology Museum Ka Ba Conservation of Historic Buildings and Architecture ltd

Turkey 28%9 Cancelled

8 This project was underspent in the 2018–19 financial year.9 This project was cancelled due to not receiving formal archaeological permissions.

46


Appendices


Grant amount

Lead applicant


Status

Protecting Bedouin lived cultural heritage

This intergenerational project focuses on the nomadic Bedouin communities of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, engaging with young people to explore the relationship of their cultural heritage to land and agriculture.

Mar ‘17

Dec ‘18 (e)

Total grant

£95,486

£192,865

£288,351

Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations at Coventry University

Al Maleh Agricultural Cooperative, Al Twani Crafts Cooperative

Occupied Palestinian Territories

30% Delivery

Preserving Yazidi heritage and identity

This project provided Yazidi young people with training to support them to engage with, record and share their cultural heritage. It also produced management plans for several endangered Yazidi shrines.

Mar ‘17 £96,800 University of Liverpool

Printing and Media Centre of Khak TV, Directorate of Antiquities of Sulamaniyah

Iraq 100% Complete

Cultural and natural heritage: A tool for socio-economic development This project rehabilitated an ancient spring and its associated public square, part of the Palestinian World Heritage Site ‘Land of Olives and Vines’.

Mar ‘17 £97,925 Centre for Cultural Heritage Preservation

Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA), Battir Municipal Council


100% Complete

47


Appendices

Grants awarded in the financial year 2017–18


Grant amount

Lead applicant


Status

A youth-led approach to preserving Lebanese cultural heritage

This project engaged Lebanese youth in the preservation and promotion of historical sites, oral history, cultural festivals, traditional crafts and customs in six rural and urban areas in Lebanon.

Apr ‘17 £569,782 Search for Common Ground

NAHNOO, Arcenciel Lebanon 84%10 Complete

Safeguarding archaeological assets of Turkey

This project aims to build capacity and raise awareness for safeguarding archaeological assets in Turkey, with a focus on those in south-eastern provinces, Antalya and Istanbul.

Apr ‘17 £923,660 British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara

Koc University Research Center for Anatolian Civilizations (ANAMED), Anadolu Kültür A. S. (AK), ICOM UK

Turkey 79% Delivery

Integrating Soqotra’s cultural heritage into conservation

This project is addressing the needs of cultural heritage on Soqotra, as well as conducting activities to promote the use of the endangered Soqotri language.

Apr ‘17

Jan ‘18 (e)

Total grant

£484,110

£125,950

£610,064

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

The TOPOI Excellence Cluster in Berlin, Senckenberg Society for Nature Conservation, Frankfurt am Main, The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) of Soqotra.

Yemen 57% Delivery

Preserving Syrian heritage

This project aims to train Syrians in digital documentation techniques in order to document heritage sites at risk.

Apr ‘17 £109,445 The Institute for Digital Archaeology (IDA)

Not published for security reasons

Syria 73% Delivery

Enhancing vernacular heritage in As-Samou’

This project focuses on the documentation, conservation and adaptive re-use of vernacular built heritage in As-Samou’, as well as providing training for local heritage professionals.

Apr ‘17 £641,204 HYDEA Habash Consulting Engineers (HCE), As Samou' Municipality


79% Delivery

Heritage skills for peace and capacity building

This project is working to document and protect built heritage in south-east Turkey through surveys, conservation work and a training programme.

Apr ‘17

Dec ‘18 (e)

Total grant

£1,226,861

£70,160

£1,297,021

Edinburgh World Heritage

Association for the Protection of Cultural Heritage (KMKD)

Turkey 65% Delivery

10 This project was underspent in the 2017–18 financial year due to delays with reporting from project partners and the cancellation of a contract.

48


Appendices


Grant amount

Lead applicant


Status

Syrian stonemasonry training scheme

This project is providing Syrian and Jordanian trainees with traditional stonemasonry skills to aid in the future repair of conflict-affected sites in Syria.

Apr ‘17

Dec ‘18 (e)

Mar ‘19 (i)

Total grant

£536,671

£299,334

£18,820

£854,825

World Monuments Fund

Petra National Trust Syria 68% Delivery

Rescuing the Mamluk minbars of Cairo

This project is researching, documenting and conserving historic Mamluk minbars in Cairo and raising awareness of the risks of looting on their long-term preservation.

Jun ‘17

Dec ‘18 (e)

Total grant

£99,713

£227,589

£327,302

Egyptian Heritage Rescue Foundation

Historic Cairo Project (HCP), School of Islamic and Geometric design (SIGD), Egyptian European Organization for Training and Development (EEOTD)

Egypt 35% Delivery

Protecting intangible heritage in the Upper Tigris Valley

This project has trained people in the Upper Tigris Valley to document disappearing intangible cultural heritage, as well as establishing a new research resource within Mardin Museum.

Jun ‘17 £99,911 Tarih Vakfi (The History Foundation)

Tigris Development Agency, Mardin Museum

Turkey 100% Complete

Protecting minority languages in Afghanistan

In this project, minority languages in Afghanistan are being preserved and protected through the documentation of folktales, rites of passage, music, and traditional beliefs.

Sept ‘17 £65,381 SIL International

SIL International, Greenlight Development Consultants (GDC), Procomm


Preserving traditional food culture in Sudan

This project is working to preserve traditional food and recipes which are important to Sudanese culture, with research and documentation taking place across the country.

Sept ‘17 £76,749 DAL, a Sudanese Charity

None Sudan 89% Delivery

Circulating artefacts: a cross-platform alliance against the looting of pharaonic antiquities

This project is creating a new database of Egyptian and Nubian artefacts currently in circulation on the international art market to counteract looting and illegal trafficking.

Oct ‘17 £998,769 The British Museum

The Ministry of Antiquities, Egypt, the National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums (NCAM), the Art and Antiques Unit of the Metropolitan Police Service (New Scotland Yard)

Egypt and Sudan

59% Delivery

49


Appendices


Grant amount

Lead applicant


Status

Protection and preservation of historical archaeological sites in the Gaza Strip

This project is rehabilitating two historic sites in the Gaza Strip – Saint Hilarion Monastery and a Byzantine Church in Jabaliyah – as well as providing students and recent graduates with training and practical work experience.

Oct ‘17 £1,793,500 Premiere Urgence Internationale (PUI)

The French Biblical School of Archaeology of Jerusalem (École biblique et archéologique française de Jérusalem), the Islamic University of Gaza, the University of Palestine


59%11 Delivery

Conserving Egyptian Coptic culture

This project is creating an archive of contemporary Coptic intangible cultural heritage while building local communities’ capacity for long-term heritage preservation.

Oct ‘17

Dec ‘18 (e)

Total grant

£331,767

£223,992

£555,759

Institute of Development Studies at University of Sussex

Coptic Culture Centre (CCC), Coptic Association for Social Care in Minya (CASC), University of Sussex (Digital /Sussex Humanities Lab)

Egypt 54% Delivery

Conserving Sudanese cultural heritage

This project is digitising a range of written and photographic material held in archives in Sudan and providing training in digitisation techniques.

Oct ‘17 £817,221 King’s College London

University of Liverpool (Centre for Archive Studies), Sudanese Association for Archiving Knowledge (SUDAAK), National Record Office of Sudan, Africa City of Technology (ACT)

Sudan 79% Delivery

Preserving the historic homes of displaced communities in Lebanon

This project is rehabilitating a significant portion of the historic centres of two cities in Lebanon, providing upgraded housing for local communities.

Oct ‘17 £1,857,557 UN-Habitat The Azm and Saade Association (ASA), the Development for People and Nature Association (DPNA)

Lebanon 34% Delivery

Restoration of a Mamluk façade in Jerusalem

This project has restored the main façade of an important Mamluk building in Jerusalem as well as providing practical training opportunities in traditional building skills.

Oct ‘17 £163,525 Welfare Association (WA-UK)

Welfare Association (WA-UK), Center for Development Consultancy, Istituto Veneto per i Beni Culturali


100% Complete

Scientific assistance for the valorisation of Mengez megalithic sites (Lebanon)

This project is rehabilitating and documenting megalithic dolmens in Mengez, Lebanon, and optimising the tourism potential of these sites through new interpretation and outreach activities.

Dec ‘17 £88,283 University of Geneve

Municipality of Mengez; Museum of Lebanese Prehistory, Université Saint-Joseph; Chateau-Musée de Préhistoire (Bélesta, France); and Lebanese Directorate of General Antiquities


11 This project was underspent by £67,429.99 in 2018–19 due to accessibility issues in Gaza.

50


Appendices


Grant amount

Lead applicant


Status

Dome houses from Syria: a protection of an endangered cultural heritage

This project focuses on preserving and revitalising the tradition of domed houses to offer a housing solution to displaced Syrian families.

Dec ‘17 £84,616 Arcenciel None Lebanon 85% Delivery

Planning the future of Amedi: building community capacity and management frameworks for the protection of the historic town

The project is documenting the built heritage and urban layout of a historic town in Iraq and strengthening the capacity of local experts and decision makers to plan for its future management.

Mar ‘18 £100,000 World Monuments Fund Britain

University of Duhok Iraq 61% Delivery

An ark for Iraq

This project is revitalising and documenting the endangered watercraft heritage of traditional boats in central and southern Iraq.

Mar ‘18 £99,246 Safina Projects CIC

Ministry of Water Resources – Centre for Restoration of Iraq’s Marshes and Wetlands (CRIMW); Ministry of Culture – Basra Museum; Natural History Museum of Basra; Dhi Qar University; Basrah University; and Humat Dijlah.

Iraq 62% Delivery

Grants awarded in the financial year 2018–19


Grant amount

Lead applicant


Status

Community museums of Western Sudan: Omdurman, El Obeid, Nyala

This project is supporting the protection and restoration of three community museums in Western Sudan, enabling them to provide for the educational and cultural needs of their communities, visitors and tourists.

May ‘18 £997,000 ICCROM-ATHAR

National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums Sudan, Centre for Heritage Studies, McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, Mallinson Architects and Engineers

Sudan 50% Delivery

51


Appendices


Grant amount

Lead applicant


Status

Action for Hope music schools for refugees

This project is preserving and promoting traditional Syrian music and musical instrument making among refugee and host communities in Lebanon and Jordan.

May ‘18

Jan ‘19 (e)

Total grant

£296,060

£192,100

£488,160

Action for Hope

Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere and the Aga Khan Music Initiative

Syria 34% Delivery

Monitoring, protecting and training through integrated archaeological practice

This project is monitoring damage to archaeological sites in the Garmian, increasing the capacity of local heritage professionals and archaeologists, and engaging local communities with their heritage, including the creation of two museum galleries.

May ‘18 £301,178 Glasgow University

Directorate of Antiquities (Suleymaniyah Governorate), Dartmouth College, Institute for Heritage and Sustainable Human Development (York Archaeological Trust)

Iraq 51% Delivery

The life jacket: the revitalization and development of rural Jerusalem

This project is restoring the historic centres of four villages in northwest and northeast Jerusalem and building the capacity of local workers and heritage professionals.

May ‘18 £1,018,470 RIWAQ Centre for Architectural Conservation

Al Jib, Qalandiya and Jaba’ village councils and the Kafr ‘Akab Municipality, Jerusalem


38% Delivery

Cultural corridors of peace

This project is training Bedouins to document and archive their intangible cultural heritage relating to traditional migration routes and pastoralism. Through an open-access archive and virtual exhibition, Bedouin heritage will be protected.

Jun ‘18

Dec ‘18 (e)

Total grant

£100,000

£296,621

£396,621

The Institute for Heritage and Sustainable Human Development (Inherit) (York Archaeological Trust)

American University of Beirut


Building the capacity to protect Palestinian land and heritage through museology and eco-tourism

This project is protecting agricultural heritage along Abraham’s path through the creation of a museum gallery and training in conservation, museology and tourism.

Jun ‘18 £94,650 Bethlehem University

Masar Ibrahim al Khalil Occupied Palestinian Territories

63% Delivery

52


Appendices


Grant amount

Lead applicant


Status

Afghan National Gallery painting restoration

This project is restoring paintings damaged by the Taliban and providing training to gallery staff in conservation, managing, handling and collection management.

Jun ‘18

Dec ‘18 (e)

Total grant

£50,000

£361,390

£411,390

Foundation of Culture and Civil Society

Sayed & Nadia Consultancy Inc and Afghan National Gallery


Preservation of endangered languages in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan Province

This project is developing a multilingual dictionary to protect the most at-risk Pamiri languages. Through building business skills and improving the tourism market, this project will improve opportunities for local people in Badakhshan.

Sept ‘18 £100,000 Aga Khan Foundation

University of Central Asia, Institute of Humanities (the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan), Aga Khan Foundation Afghanistan and Pamirs Eco-Cultural Tourism Association


Old City of Taiz: Building capacity in post-conflict heritage assessment and emergency conservation

This project is training museum professionals from the Yemeni city of Taiz and equipping them with the skills necessary to document the city’s damaged cultural heritage.

Sept ‘18 £100,000 World Monuments Fund Britain

The University of Dohuk, Historic England, Donald Insall Associates

Yemen 19% Delivery

Protecting Levantine craftsmanship through embedded training and traditional learning

This project is training young Syrians and Jordanians in traditional craft-work skills, including mother-of-pearl inlay, woodcarving, carpentry, and wood mosaic.

Sept ‘18 £97,060 Turquoise Mountain Trust

None Jordan 14% Delivery

Sufi shrines: centuries of heritage under siege

This project is restoring the Sufi shrine of Nabi Ghaith, converting it and the surrounding land into a community space.

Sept ‘18 £95,964 Rozana Association for the Development of Architectural Heritage

The Center for Cultural Heritage Preservation (CCHP), Deir Ammar Village Council


31% Delivery

Swansea City Opera Lebanon heritage project

This project is creating a record of the intangible cultural heritage of refugee groups across five camps in Lebanon.

Sept ‘18 £96,700 Swansea City Opera

American University of Beirut (AUB), Dreams of Refugee Association, Social Humanitarian Economical Intervention for Local Development

Lebanon, Syria and Occupied Palestinian Territories

42% Delivery

53


Appendices


Grant amount

Lead applicant


Status

Recording, protecting and sharing Yazidi musical culture in northern Iraq and IDP camps

The project is recording and archiving Yazidi music, lyrics, provenance, meaning and usage. Through training music teachers, Yazidi music will reach hundreds of schoolchildren.

Dec ‘18 £250,954 AMAR International Charitable Foundation

AMAR ICF Iraq, Yazidi Spiritual Council and the Bodleian Library

Iraq 0% Delivery

Conservation for digitisation

This project is establishing a paper-based conservation studio in the Palestinian Museum in the West Bank and building the capacity of individuals in conservation and archival practices.

Dec ‘18 £152,209 Welfare Association (UK)

The British Library, the Palestinian Museum


0% Delivery

Protecting Iraqi cultural heritage: deterring antiquities looting and trafficking

This project will train local heritage professionals in the application of SmartWater solution (a type of forensic tagging) to artefacts in two Iraqi museums with the aim of deterring the further looting of artefacts.

Dec ‘18 £156,449 University of Reading

State Board of Antiquities (Iraq), SmartWater Foundation Ltd

Iraq 0% Delivery

Cultural protection: Postwar reconstruction and rehabilitation in Yemen

This project will restore, reconstruct and renovate important cultural landmarks that have been affected by conflict in Hadramout province in Yemen and raise awareness of their importance.

Dec ‘18 £220,220 Prince Claus Fund

Daw'an Mud Brick Architecture Foundation

Yemen 0% Delivery

Preserving Egyptian Coptic heritage through conservation, scholarship and educational dissemination

This project is undertaking the physical conservation of historically significant medieval manuscripts held in the Coptic monastery of Deir al-Surian in Egypt and providing training in conservation methods, handling, record keeping and collection care.

Dec ‘18 £101,382 The Levantine Foundation

Deir al-Surian Monastery Egypt 0% Delivery

54


Appendices

Restoration of the Aghormi mosque by the residents of Siwa

The project is restoring the Aghormi mosque and providing training to enable local Shali owners to restore their buildings independently.

Dec ‘18 £120,297 Environmental Quality International

None Egypt 19% Delivery

Grants awarded in the financial year 2018–19 (EXTENSIONS)


Grant amount

Lead applicant

Partners Target area

Training in endangered archaeology methodology

This extension primarily focuses on the development of a national heritage management platform in two of the CPF target countries, Occupied Palestinian Territories and Jordan. The extension is a step towards a new co-ordinated approach to heritage management across the MENA region.

Dec ‘18 Extension amount: £299,934

University of Oxford

University of Leicester; University of Durham; Department of Antiquities, Jordan; Department of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage, Occupied Palestinian Territories; General Organisation of Antiquities and Museums, Yemen; Department of Antiquities, Libya; Directorate General of Antiquities, Lebanon; Institut National du Patrimoine, Tunisia; State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, Iraq; Ministry of State of Antiquities, Egypt; and Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Egypt

Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Libya, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Tunisia, Yemen

See above

Delivery

The completion of the new museum for Basrah in Iraq

This nine-month extension will develop a heritage resource centre to house and share the British Institute for the Study of Iraq’s (BISI) library collection, which has been largely inaccessible for the last 28 years.


The Friends of Basrah Museum

The Department of Antiquities and Heritage, Basrah; State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, Baghdad; HWH & Associates; British Institute for the Study of Iraq

Iraq See above

Delivery

Training in action

This extension will deliver an additional year of training, providing trainees with advanced GIS skills and training a large number of archaeologists in object recording using the app designed as part of the project.


University of Durham

Department of Antiquities of Libya, Institut National du Partimone de Tunisie, Society of Libyan Studies

Libya and Tunisia

See above

Delivery

Preserving Afghan heritage

This extension is building a new textile craft centre in the Old City of Kabul using on-site training in traditional building methods. A new Afghan craft curriculum will be taught, based on the crafts documented as part of the wider project.


Turquoise Mountain Trust

Turquoise Mountain Foundation, Turquoise Mountain Institute

Afghanistan See above

Delivery

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Appendices


Grant amount

Lead applicant


Status

Syrian stonemasonry training scheme

This extension aims to provide 20 trainees with more advanced stonemasonry skills and prepare them for professional work.


World Monuments Fund Environmental Quality International

Petra National Trust Syria See above

Delivery

The Coptic culture conservation collective

This grant extension provides an opportunity to broaden the identification, capture and preservation of intangible cultural heritage, with new communities engaged and an increase in the number of records created.


Institute of Development Studies at University of Sussex

Coptic Culture Centre (CCC), Coptic Association for Social Care in Minya (CASC), University of Sussex (Digital / Sussex Humanities Lab)

Egypt See above

Delivery

Cultural corridors of peace

This extension expands on work in Lebanon to connect Bedouins across the Levant. An exhibition will share documentation of Bedouin cultural heritage.


The Institute for Heritage and Sustainable Human Development (INERIT) (York Archaeological Trust)

American University of Beirut

Lebanon See above

Delivery

Afghan National Gallery painting restoration

This extension will restore 32 works of art that are in urgent need of repair. A series of lectures will build capacity in museum staff in basic conservation and preservation techniques as well as collection care and management.


Foundation of Culture and Civil Society

Sayed & Nadia Consultancy Inc and Afghan National Gallery

Afghanistan See above

Delivery

Action for Hope music schools for refugees

This extension will expand the existing training programme by providing advanced training to a group of 54 young graduates. This is intended to better prepare the young people for careers in music once their time at the schools ends.


Action for Hope

Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere and The Aga Khan Music Initiative

Syria See above

Delivery

Rescuing the Mamluk minbars of Cairo

This extension will undertake additional documentation, conservation and mitigation work and produce a documentary film on the project.


Egyptian Heritage Rescue Foundation

Historic Cairo Project (HCP), School of Islamic and Geometric design (SIGD), Egyptian European Organization for Training and Development (EEOTD)

Egypt See above

Delivery

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Appendices


Grant amount

Lead applicant


Status

Integrating cultural heritage into conservation and development planning on Soqotra

This extension will expand existing community engagement work with awareness-raising events, creative documentation workshops and a community archaeology dig.


Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

TOPOI Excellence Cluster in Berlin; Senckenberg Society for Nature Conservation, Frankfurt am Main; Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) of Soqotra

Yemen See above

Delivery

Protecting Bedouin lived cultural heritage

This extension will document further Bedouin heritage across Occupied Palestinian Territories and provide advanced training in oral history to students so they become the trainers.


Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations at Coventry University

Al Maleh Agricultural Cooperative, Al Twani Crafts Cooperative


See above

Delivery

Heritage skills for peace and capacity building

This extension will expand the training programme currently being delivered and include advanced survey work to contribute to the buildings at risk register being developed.


Edinburgh World Heritage

Association for the Protection of Cultural Heritage (KMKD)

Turkey See above

Delivery

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Appendices

Appendix 2: Meeting group members 2017–18

Programme Board

• Kate Arthurs, Director Arts, British Council – Chair

• Stephen Stenning, Head Arts and Society, British Council

• Keith Nicol, DCMS

• Giles Smith, DCMS

• Ritwik Deo, DCMS

Advisory Group

• Kate Pugh – Chair

• Kamal Bitar

• Didier Bouakaze Khan

• Anthea Case CBE

• France Desmarais

• Seif El Rashidi

• Scott Furlong

• Markus Hilgert

• Joanne Orr

• Peter Stone

• Duncan Wilson

• Christopher Young

Large Grants Approvals Panel (May 2018)

• Adrian Chadwick, former Regional Director Middle East and North Africa, British Council – Chair

• Kate Arthurs, British Council

• Judith Cligman

• Sir Derek Plumbly

• Gerald Wait

Small Grants Approvals Panel (June 2018, September 2018)

• Stephen Stenning, Head Arts and Society, British Council

• Sean Williams, Director Operations – UK Arts, British Council

Closing Round Approvals Panel (December 2018)

• Chis Rawlings, Regional Director Middle East and North Africa, British Council

• Kate Arthurs, Director Arts, British Council

58


Appendices

Find out more about the Cultural Protection Fund here:https://www.britishcouncil.org/arts/culture-development/cultural-protection-fund

Sign up to the CPF newsletter:https://www.britishcouncil.org/arts/culture-development/newsletter

Join the conversation online: #CulturalProtectionFund

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CULTURAL PROTECTION FUND - British Council · 2019-08-06 · The Cultural Protection Fund (CPF) is a £30m fund managed by the British Council in partnership with the Department for