As part of the response to the earthquake that struck Colombia on 10 August 2026, the Ministry of Culture, the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), the United Nations system in Colombia and UNESCO supported through the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund (HEF) have taken an important step toward supporting the recovery of the country’s cultural sector through specialized training and emergency heritage protection measures.
While humanitarian assistance and lifesaving actions rightly constituted the immediate priority in the aftermath of the disaster, efforts are now advancing to address the impacts on the cultural sector, recognizing its critical role in community resilience, social cohesion, and long-term recovery. Culture is not only a record of the past; it is also a vital resource that supports communities as they rebuild their lives, livelihoods, and identities following crises.
A key milestone in this process was the delivery of a specialized workshop on post-disaster damage and loss assessment for the cultural sector, held on 7 and 8 October 2026 at the National Archives of Colombia in Bogotá. Conducted in a hybrid format, the training strengthened the capacity of cultural professionals and public institutions to identify and assess damages, analyze impacts on tangible and intangible heritage[AC1] , determine recovery needs, and plan actions to safeguard cultural assets affected by the earthquake.
The workshop forms part of the first phase of a broader cooperation effort between UNESCO and the Ministry of Culture, supported through the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund (HEF). The workshop forms part of the first phase of a broader cooperation effort between UNESCO and the Ministry of Culture. The UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund (HEF) has provided more than USD 60,000 in initial resources to fund technical support teams, specialized training, and urgent protection measures for affected heritage buildings and traditional dwellings, particularly in municipalities of Colombia’s Coffee Cultural Landscape impacted by the earthquake.
In addition to capacity-building activities, the financing will support the acquisition and installation of temporary protective materials and emergency stabilization measures aimed at preventing further deterioration of cultural heritage assets. These efforts are expected to complement ongoing recovery initiatives and inform longer-term rehabilitation planning.
As emphasized by the Minister of Culture, cultural recovery is an integral part of national recovery efforts:
“As a government, we are clear that culture cannot be a secondary component of reconstruction. Culture is an essential part of Colombia’s recovery, which is not limited to repairing buildings or property. It also means protecting the soul of the nation and the bonds that communities have with their territories. Rebuilding our homeland also means rebuilding its culture”.
The training also benefited from the participation of UNESCO specialists and experts working to strengthen the preparedness and response capacities of the cultural sector in Colombia.
As noted by Enrique López-Hurtado, Officer in Charge of Culture at UNESCO’s Regional Office for Central America, Mexico and Colombia:
“At UNESCO, we are proud to partner with the Ministry to strengthen the sector’s capacity to respond to emergencies. Through this training, we aim to provide technical tools to local communities, promoting culture as an essential component of recovery. When culture is integrated from the very beginning, communities not only rebuild their infrastructure and sustain their livelihoods, but also their identity, their resilience, and their ability to look to the future with hope “.
The Ministry of Culture has indicated that this support represents the beginning of a wider recovery and cooperation process that remains under development with UNESCO and other international partners. The initiative seeks not only to address immediate needs but also to strengthen national capacities to protect culture before, during, and after emergencies.
UNESCO extends its sincere appreciation to the National Archives of Colombia for hosting the training and facilitating this important space for technical exchange, learning, and collaboration.
This activity was supported by the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund. We wish to thank its donors: the Principality of Andorra, Canada, the Republic of Estonia, the French Republic, the Republic of Lithuania, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Principality of Monaco, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Kingdom of Norway, the Republic of Poland, the Qatar Fund for Development, the Republic of Serbia, the Slovak Republic, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Colombia advances cultural sector recovery efforts following the August earthquake
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