Interview with Shadia Abdrabo, visiting researcher at the INHA

1) As a curator at the National Museum of Sudan and a specialist in Sudanese archaeological heritage, how has your work been transformed by the crisis the country has been facing since 2023?

The war, which began in April 2023, has had a profound negative impact on my work, both personally and professionally. I was first forced to leave my city, then my country, which disrupted not only my life but also my ability to work in a stable and continuous manner. This has had difficult repercussions on my work at the museum. Certain aspects of my role have become more emotionally taxing, particularly when working with cultural heritage that may be under threat or linked to communities affected by the conflict.It has also created a sense of limitation and frustration: museums aim to preserve and share culture, but in times of crisis, one can feel that this work is fragile or insufficient compared to what is being lost.

Despite the limitations of cultural institutions in the face of an ongoing conflict, my colleagues and I have tried to maintain some form of heritage action: securing certain collections where still possible, evacuation operations ahead of the conflict’s advance, as well as training and awareness-raising initiatives for students and local communities.

However, the losses have been considerable. Many museums have been looted and buildings destroyed.
The human toll is also very heavy, marked by the loss of colleagues and their loved ones.
In this context, it becomes difficult to view heritage solely as a collection of objects. What we are experiencing also reveals an assault on cultural memory and collective identity.

2) In this context, you are carrying out vital work to inventory and document heritage that is fragile, under threat or lost. Could you explain the specific objectives of this initiative and the scientific and heritage-related challenges it raises?

In the face of the deterioration, threats and partial destruction of Sudan’s heritage, inventorying and documentation are essential emergency measures. These actions constitute a first line of defence against the illicit trafficking of Sudanese cultural property.

The work I am currently undertaking aims to address this critical situation by creating a platform dedicated to the preservation of digitised documents, photographs and archives relating to Sudanese museum collections and associated archaeological research. It also includes Sudanese collections held in international museums, in order to provide as comprehensive a view as possible of this dispersed heritage.
The aim is to compile a comprehensive inventory of Sudanese museum collections and objects held in public institutions abroad, as well as to raise awareness and mobilise the international community regarding the importance of safeguarding Sudanese heritage.

3) Your visit to France is part of a cooperation programme involving several institutions, including the Louvre Museum and the INHA. How do these international collaborations help to combat the illicit trafficking of cultural property and work towards the protection of collections?

International collaboration plays a vital role, not only in research and conservation, but also in ensuring the continuity of work in times of crisis. In this regard, France plays a significant role in the protection of cultural heritage, particularly through the commitment of major institutions such as the Louvre Museum and the INHA.
These institutions assist countries in crisis by helping to safeguard endangered heritage, sharing their expertise and training researchers and professionals. Through their projects and collaborations, they strengthen the global protection of cultural heritage and promote the sharing of knowledge.

Having been based at the INHA since 2025, I’m continuing here the work I began during an initial three-month stay at the Louvre Museum in 2024. Thanks to the support of colleagues in France, who directed me towards schemes such as the PAUSE programme and the ALIPH Foundation, I have been able to sustain this research over the long term despite the difficulties. In particular, this enables me to maintain links with colleagues in Sudan, Egypt and Europe, by relaying information and participating in academic exchanges when others are unable to travel.

4) You are currently working on the design of an online database listing archaeological sites, museum collections and historical archives in Sudan. What are the intended objectives of this tool dedicated to Sudanese heritage? How does the collaboration with the INHA’s digital research department support this project?

This platform will enable the digitisation and centralisation of all data relating to Sudanese museum collections, and will facilitate collaboration with law enforcement agencies in the fight against the trafficking of illicit archaeological and historical artefacts, which are currently scattered or under threat.
It will also ensure the long-term preservation of the data by storing it in a secure digital environment, accessible even during times of conflict.

The objectives are therefore multiple :

• To create a digital database to make the collected data easily searchable and accessible;
• To facilitate access to these resources for researchers, historians, archaeologists and students, both Sudanese and international, thereby enabling them to continue their work despite the conflict;
• To promote international collaboration on the preservation and study of Sudanese heritage.

In this context, collaboration with the INHA’s digital research department is essential. The support of the teams has been crucial in transforming this idea for a platform into a concrete project, by providing specialist expertise and technical support.
In particular, they provide digital tools such as cloud infrastructure and secure storage environments, enabling researchers to effectively preserve, analyse and disseminate data relating to cultural heritage.

5) Beyond the urgent need to safeguard heritage, your career has also been marked by training and mentoring young curators and researchers, as well as initiatives to raise awareness among local communities living near archaeological sites. How do you view this role of passing on knowledge in a context where heritage institutions are under pressure?

One of the main difficulties lies in the fact that training and awareness-raising require time and consistency, which can prove difficult in institutions under pressure.
One such difficulty relates to constraints of time and resources. Under pressure, training and awareness-raising are often the first activities to be sacrificed, as they do not produce immediate and visible results.

In the current context in Sudan, the transmission of knowledge is severely compromised. The war has led to the departure of many colleagues, particularly senior staff, which has created a significant shortage of trainers for the new generation of heritage professionals. International missions and training programmes, which previously ensured this continuity, have also been suspended, further exacerbating the breakdown in professional continuity.

It is becoming difficult to ensure knowledge transfer through theory alone. Young curators and archaeologists have less practical experience, even as on-the-ground needs remain very high.
This is why the role of local communities has become central. In several regions, they are now the primary actors in heritage protection, particularly where institutions can no longer intervene. Awareness-raising initiatives and workshops have been organised to inform them about the value of archaeological sites and the risks associated with destruction, particularly in the context of artisanal gold mining, where certain excavations may be carried out to the detriment of archaeological sites.

These initiatives demonstrate that heritage transmission now relies on local engagement, in a context where daily priorities are primarily linked to the most immediate living conditions.
Mentoring takes time, and community work requires sustained commitment; these two aspects may seem incompatible with urgent institutional demands. Another difficulty lies in competing priorities.