WMF Solidarity with Yemen After Devastating Floods

World Monuments Fund (WMF) stands in support of the Yemeni people who are facing a humanitarian crisis in the midst of a years-long war and recent heavy flooding in the region that has killed and displaced scores. Yemen’s historic architecture—already impacted by the conflict—is now further weakened by the floods which have caused homes to collapse and severely damaged many historic sites. In the capital of Sana’a, countless buildings have been destroyed and damaged. Local authorities are calling for assistance to restore damaged and collapsed structures and improve flood protection.

Since 2018, when the Old City of Ta’izz, threatened by Yemen’s civil war, was placed on the World Monuments Watch, WMF has been committed to the people and heritage of Yemen. In late 2018, with support from the British Council Cultural Protection Fund, WMF began conservation skills training and restoration work at the National Museum in Ta’izz. And in 2019, WMF received a grant from the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH) to restore the Al-Badr Palace in the Old City of Ta’izz, which was destroyed in the Yemeni civil war, and develop a museography program for the entire Ta’izz National Museum complex. 

On their long road to recovery, World Monuments Fund stands in solidarity with the people of Yemen.

Bénédicte de Montlaur
President and CEO, World Monuments Fund

Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition

August 23 marks the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. On this occasion, we invite you to discover one of WMF’s most powerful historic sites, Bunce Island, through the eyes of Project Manager Isatu Smith.

Located in Sierra Leone and home to one of the most lucrative slave trading operations in West Africa, the Bunce Island fortified trading post served as a cross-over point for thousands of enslaved West African sold to colonies in the West Indies and North America.

In a short video interview, Isatu Smith speaks about the history of the site and the importance of its preservation “as a memorial to the dark history of man’s inhumanity to man”.

Spotlight from the Field: The Stonemasonry Trainees of Mafraq, Jordan

In Mafraq, Jordan, a group of dedicated students have been developing their conservation skills, learning the delicate art of stonemasonry and discovering the challenges heritage sites around the region are facing.

The stonemasonry capacity-building program in Jordan first started in 2017 as a way to renew community strength and rebuild heritage skills in anticipation of the conservation work that will be needed in post-war Syria and around the region. A second round of the program was completed in November 2019.

Four of the 2019 trainees shared their experiences with us, including the challenges of developing conservation skills, their hopes for the future, and the question of whether heritage can be a tool for healing and recovery.

After Months of Closure, Moseley Road Baths Reopens

Some good news from Birmingham, UK. After several long months of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Moseley Road Baths, the 1907 Edwardian swimming pool, opened its doors to swimmers on August 8.

Moseley Road Baths was included on the 2016 World Monuments Watch to call attention to the Birmingham City Council's plans to close the baths in 2017, due to cutbacks in government spending. In 2018 WMF joined a coalition of funders to support emergency repairs and the successful revitalization of the baths as a community asset.

Heritage from Home: Venice

Travel the world from home and visit WMF’s iconic heritage sites through our Heritage from Home series featuring our slideshow walking tours. This week, explore the canals and treasures of one of the world’s great cities, Venice.

World Monuments Fund began conservation and restoration work in Venice after unprecedented flooding in 1966. Decades later, we are still committed to protecting and preserving the city’s architectural heritage.

From the creation of a painting conservation studio to the emergency conservation of Vivaldi’s Church of the Pietà, this slideshow tour showcases the breadth of our action in Venice and the sheer artistic wealth of the city.

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