In crisis and post-crisis environments, the absence or destruction of collections—archives, libraries, museums—raises underexplored questions for peacebuilding and recovery. Drawing on practical experience in fragile settings, this presentation offers a field-informed reflection on what happens when collections are missing or inaccessible—and why their absence may matter.
Without institutional memory, accessible public archives, or shared cultural reference points, efforts to rebuild governance, civic trust, and social cohesion face additional challenges. While this topic remains largely absent from peacebuilding frameworks, the presentation invites reflection on how collections—when preserved, restored, and valued—can contribute to inclusion, participation, and longer-term recovery.
Rather than proposing definitive answers, the exposé draws attention to overlooked intersections between cultural heritage and peacebuilding practice. It highlights lessons from local governance and community engagement—such as fostering legitimacy, managing risks, and promoting dialogue—that may resonate with the work of heritage professionals.
In contexts where access to collective memory and cultural resources is limited or contested, this contribution seeks to open a dialogue across sectors. It encourages participants to consider how collections, broadly understood, might support the exercise of cultural rights and the conditions for sustainable peace—especially in fragile and conflict-affected settings.