After universities, museums, and humanitarian organizations, it is now world heritage sites that bear the brunt of the severe budget cuts imposed by US president Donald Trump. As revealed by The Art Newspaper, reductions made by the US Department of State in international aid now compromise the preservation of several world heritage sites.
The World Monuments Fund (WMF), a non-governmental organization, has lost $750,000 (€663,000) earmarked for projects in Africa, Ukraine, and Iraq. Its president, Bénédicte de Montlaur, is staying cool for now. "The Department of State is one of our important partners, providing us with between $1 million and $2 million annually. However, the situation is less dramatic for us than for humanitarian organizations because most of our funds come from private donors," said the former French cultural adviser in New York.
The American withdrawal may seem like a drop in the bucket of the WMF's total budget, which raised $27 million in 2024. However, it is proving disastrous for African heritage, the primary victim of the cuts. Notable compromised projects include the restoration of Old Fourah Bay College in Sierra Leone, the first Western university established in sub-Saharan Africa in 1827, and the Ottoman complex of Takiyyat Ibrahim Al-Gulshani built in the 16th century in Cairo. "America was our main funder in this area; it's more difficult to find private funds to support African heritage," said Bénédicte de Montlaur, who is actively seeking alternative funding.
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