In September 2026, UNESCO organized a training on rapid damage and risk assessments for 72 participants from 15 cultural heritage institutions. The training was implemented by UNESCO in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Information, Antiquities and Tourism and the Sudanese National Commission for Education, Science and Culture.
Protecting cultural heritage is not only about safeguarding sites. It is also about preserving the history, identity and collective memory of communities, and ensuring that culture can contribute to Sudan’s recovery, resilience and social cohesion.
Junaid Sorosh-Wali, Head of Office and UNESCO Representative to Sudan
The training was led by Maïssa Acheuk-Youcef from the UNESCO Emergency Operations and Programmes Unit, who introduced participants to relevant international methodologies and practical tools. During the session, UNESCO launched the Virtual Reality Damage Assessment Tool for the first time, where participants tested the new tool using 3-D headsets. The workshop also featured Beirut’s experience following the 2020 port explosion as a case study. The participants heard how the city estimated the costs of recovery interventions and explored how such an exercise may be applied to Sudan in the mid- to long-term.
