On September 26 the Prince Claus Fund launched a cultural emergency aid fund called the Cultural Emergency Response. This initiative was triggered by the news of the recent looting of cultural heritage in Baghdad (Iraq).

The aim of the Cultural Emergency Response is to provide emergency aid to international cultural heritage that is damaged and threatened by war or natural disasters so as to prevent further loss. Each disaster will be assessed in terms of immediate needs, this will involve both local and international expertise and networks.

The fund’s co-founder is the International Committee of the Blue Shield, the cultural equivalent of the Red Cross.