(Pictures from our Candlelight Vigil for the Iraq Museum, held on Friday 11 April 2008 on the steps of the Worcester Art Museum)

In April of 2003, looters robbed the cradle of civilization as the National Museum of Iraq was plundered. Priceless objects that had withstood centuries of turmoil to tell their tales of ancient cities and human achievements were left unprotected during the invasion; our shared global cultural heritage was at the mercy of opportunistic looters. To add insult to injury, what could not be stolen was smashed: heartbreaking images of headless figures, broken columns and shattered display cases sent shockwaves around the world.

Many of us felt outrage at these thefts, aware that this was not a crime committed against just one museum, one country, but against history itself; we felt the loss of an important connection to our early beginnings, much as we would if the pyramids of Egypt were leveled or the Acropolis in Athens dismantled. The National Museum of Iraq was the only one of its kind: a place to see all the earliest developments in civilization (language, writing, agriculture, technology and art) together in one place.
 

The fifth anniversary of this tragic loss presents an opportunity to think about current threats to all museums which safeguard our tangible cultural heritage, the visible expressions of our shared humanity.

I love seeing a new exhibit, revisiting a favorite work, and taking advantage of all the diverse programming offered by a fine museum. I believe in the important work being done by organizations devoted to protecting our shared cultural heritage. Yet I’m embarrassed to confess I know all too well how easy it is to put supporting these important institutions on the back burner: some years the crazy schedule of work and home, family and friends, all the commitments that pile up around us…we tell ourselves that as soon as things calm down we will renew our membership, write that check, donate our time. We are quite confident that these institutions will wait for us, put themselves into a holding pattern at our convenience. We assume these organizations will keep the lights on and still be there when we knock.

As consumers, we’re champions at cost-benefit analysis: how much do I receive in return for what I give? How many visits equal a yearly membership, what are the promotional items worth? But how do we calculate the price of steadfast waiting: phones answered, buildings heated, activities planned, and missions accomplished on our behalf? How long can these institutions and organizations wait for us?

One of the lessons learned from the looting of the Iraq Museum is the awful finality of loss: all subsequent efforts to repair the damage, to regain what was lost, can never equal a strong commitment ahead of time to protect our cultural heritage. It is fragile, finite, and fundamental to our understanding of ourselves and our place in the world.

Please take this opportunity to insure our past has a future. Think locally: support Worcester museums so that their doors continue to open for future generations. Act globally: join organizations committed to the protection of cultural property worldwide such as the Archaeological Institute of America, the U.S. Committee for the Blue Shield (for protection during armed conflict), and SAFE/Saving Antiquities For Everyone.

Each of these simple acts will help keep the lights on, allows each of us to be a light that lights the world.