The International Committee of the Blue Shield (ICBS)

Comité International du Bouclier Bleu (CIBB)

Requirements for National Committees of the Blue Shield

Strasbourg Charter
(14 April 2000)

The following requirements to be met by national initiatives that wish to seek recognition as national Blue Shield committees.

  1. Initiatives for establishing a national committee of the Blue Shield should fully recognise the ICBS Charter as adopted by ICBS in Strasbourg, 14 April 2000:

    In order to protect endangered cultural heritage, the International Committee of the Blue Shield was created in 1996 by the four non-governmental organisations, which represent professionals active in the fields of archives, libraries, monuments and sites, and museums.

    In the framework of the Hague Convention (1954) for the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict, ICA (International Council on Archives), ICOM (International Council of Museums), ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites), and IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions) have taken up the emblem of the Convention as symbol of the International Committee of the Blue Shield. These four founding members were joined in 2005 by CCAAA (Co-ordinating Council of Audiovisual Archives Associations).

    The five organisations work together to prepare for, and respond to, emergency situations in case of armed conflict or natural disaster that could affect cultural heritage.

    They respect the following principles:
    (Approved by the International Committee of the Blue Shield at its meeting in Paris, 8th June 2001):
    • joint actions
    • independence
    • neutrality
    • professionalism
    • respect of cultural identity
    • work on a not-for-profit basis.

  2. Initiatives for establishing a national committee of the Blue Shield should have the support of the national representatives of all four non-governmental organisations listed above, which together form the ICBS. In case of doubt, the bureaux of the four non-governmental organisations will decide on the respective representational claims.

  3. An appropriate representative of initiatives to establish a national committee of the Blue Shield should inform the ICBS of the membership, contact addresses, meeting schedules and agendas and relevant national events of the proposed national committee.

  4. An appropriate person or organisation on behalf of initiatives to establish a national committee of the Blue Shield may request the ICBS to grant official recognition. The ICBS has the sole right to decide whether to accord such recognition.