The Embassy of the United States, through the U.S. Department of State Cultural Property Agreement Implementation Grant, will inaugurate a training project for custodians of two museums and two churches in the cities of Potosí and Sucre. The training will include creation and implementation of preventive physical security plans for the churches of San Benito and San Pedro in Potosí, and the Cathedral Museum and Charcas University Museum in Sucre.
Bolivian cultural heritage is rich and diverse. Temples and museums are repositories of artistic works of incalculable value that are part of Bolivian identity; however, many museums are vulnerable in terms of physical and preventive security, which poses the risk of losses, theft, and vandalism.
The project, valued at $70,000, includes the creation of preventive physical security plans for each site and provision of detection systems, barriers, and other measures to counter the risk of theft and vandalism.
This project is part of the permanent commitment by the U.S. Embassy to support protection of Bolivian cultural heritage. Since 2001, the Embassy has supported many cultural heritage preservation projects valued at approximately $2 million.
The inauguration ceremonies of the project took place on:
Wednesday, July 26
4:00 PM at the Charcas Colonial Museum – Sucre
6:00 PM at the Cathedral Museum – Sucre
Thursday, July 27
10:30 AM at San Benito church – Potosí
2:30 PM at San Pedro church – Potosí