NATO SPS Supported Workshop Launches New Initiative to Counter the Weaponization of Cultural Heritage
March 10, 2026
The Antiquities Coalition and Raphael Lemkin Society Partner to Help the World’s Largest Security Alliance Respond to a Growing Threat.
A joint civilian-military effort is translating the frontline experience of Ukraine—whose cultural heritage has been systematically targeted as part of Russia’s invasion—into actionable lessons for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
This new initiative is led by the U.S.-based Antiquities Coalition and the Raphael Lemkin Society of Ukraine. It brings together an interdisciplinary set of experts from across NATO Member States and partner countries, drawing from the military, intelligence, law enforcement, legal, and cultural heritage communities. The immediate goal is to establish a sustained platform for research, collaboration, and training to confront an escalating security challenge.
This program launched in 2025 with an advanced research workshop in Italy, supported by NATO’s Science for Peace and Security Programme. This two-day intensive workshop focused on a high-stakes case study of the problem: how Russia is advancing its military and political objectives in Ukraine and beyond through cultural heritage exploitation, including cultural looting and destruction, disinformation campaigns, and sanctions evasion through art market misuse. From November 7–9, 35 leading authorities from 11 NATO and partner countries convened in Bassano del Grappa, the 2025 Cultural Capital of Veneto. Rebuilt after heavy bombing in both World Wars, the city stands as a reminder that cultural heritage can be both a casualty of armed conflict and a source of postwar resilience.
“Ukrainian culture suffers from the Russian invasion every day,” said Anastasiia Oleksii, Executive Director of the Raphael Lemkin Society, highlighting the need for the workshop. She stressed, “We have been losing not only cultural property but also people of culture: people who have already contributed to Ukrainian culture and people who could have contributed to it. This kind of uncountable loss is hard to comprehend.”
Through expert panels, focused discussions, and strategic sessions, workshop participants examined how the Kremlin has integrated cultural heritage into its broader campaign of aggression, reviewed existing legal and policy frameworks to fight back, and shared real-world lessons from Ukraine. More importantly, they identified practical steps to strengthen defenses, enhance coordination, and close gaps across the military, law enforcement, and policy communities. This dialogue reinforced the need for deepened transatlantic collaboration and laid the groundwork for continued joint action.
In closing the workshop, Antiquities Coalition Executive Director Tess Davis emphasized why this issue matters for NATO, stating “Cultural heritage exploitation has clearly been identified not as a niche preservation concern, but as a hybrid, cognitive, and escalating security threat that directly affects deterrence, decision-making, and Alliance cohesion.”
The impact of this workshop will extend far beyond the seminar room. In the months ahead, the initiative will continue as participants work together to advance analysis, targeted training, NATO-aligned recommendations, and a forthcoming publication to ensure all findings are integrated into future security planning across the Alliance.
The organizers thank the NATO SPS program for its support in countering the exploitation of cultural heritage as a weapon of war.