Threats against heritage – An analysis of actor driven threats against heritage in Sweden.
Publish date: 2024-01-16
Report number: FOI-R--5490--SE
Pages: 70
Written in: Swedish
Keywords:
- Heritage and conflict
- destruction of heritage
- actor-driven threats
- hybrid threats
- heritage protection
- heritage management
- Swedish National Heritage Board
Abstract
This report presents the results of an analysis of the threats heritage in Sweden could face in case of conflict. It has been conducted by the Swedish Defence Research Agency during 2023 on behalf of the Swedish National Heritage Board (Riksantikvarieämbetet). During recent conflicts, such as the ongoing war in Ukraine, heritage has increasingly been targeted, which highlights the importance of its defence. Sweden is currently scaling up its Total Defence, a concept that includes both military and civilian defence, which also entails the protection of heritage. This report provides support for actors who administer heritage in some capacity, and aims to answer the question: What types of threats could face heritage in Sweden in war and in conflict? The result of the analysis presents a broad description of actor-driven threats, including both hybrid and military threats. This demonstrates that heritage can be targeted in peace as well as in war, but also that the threat goes beyond physical destruction. The threats are described under four main categories: destruction, theft, cyber threats, influence and subversion. The report also describes situations the heritage sector can face in case of armed conflict, as well as in the period after a conflict. A deeper understanding of different threats helps to create an awareness and resilience against these threats. The report emphasizes that the effects of an executed threat will differ, depending on the organisation. It is therefore important to have the organisation and the heritage it manages in mind when threats are assessed as well as in the planning of how to mitigate and respond to them.