International Museum Day 2026

UNESCO Response to Sudanese Museums Impacted by War

Since the outbreak of war in Sudan in 2023, UNESCO has mobilized emergency interventions through the Heritage Emergency Fund to protect museums and safeguard the country's cultural heritage under extremely challenging conditions. In coordination with the National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums (NCAM), UNESCO conducted comprehensive damage and risk assessments of five priority museums Kerma, Gebel Barkal, Red Sea, El Damer, and Sennar enabling urgent protection measures and guiding emergency stabilization efforts. The initiative also led to the creation of digital inventories and databases documenting 1,737 artefacts, significantly strengthening protection against illicit trafficking and loss. In addition, collections from El Damer Museum were securely packed and relocated to Kerma Museum for safer storage. UNESCO's response has also addressed the severe crisis at the Sudan National Museum, which has suffered extensive looting and damage, with more than 4,000 artefacts reported by NCAM stolen. Key achievements include training 40 personnel with the National Mine Action Centre in rubble clearance and explosive hazard removal, restoring safe access to museum sites. UNESCO further supported structural assessments, provided IT equipment for documenting missing collections, and trained museum professionals in emergency conservation and handling.

Ongoing support through the Heritage Emergency Fund includes rehabilitation of the museum's annex storage facility, digitization and inventory of surviving collections, conservation of priority artefacts, and reinforcement of storage and shelving systems to secure long-term protection of recovered heritage.

At the same time, UNESCO has intensified nationwide efforts to prevent the illicit trafficking of Sudanese cultural objects through specialized training programmes benefiting 500 heritage professionals, customs officials, judiciary representatives, law enforcement officers, and security personnel. These programmes strengthen capacities to identify trafficked artefacts, improve documentation and border control procedures, apply international legal frameworks, and enhance inter-agency cooperation for the recovery of stolen heritage.

The UNESCO Sudan Office gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the Italian Government, channelled through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), for the rehabilitation of the Sudan National Museum project. Our thanks are also extended to the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund, which enabled the first comprehensive assessment of the war's devastating impact on museums across Sudan, laying the groundwork for urgent recovery and safeguarding efforts.