the american institute of conservation and corey wagner's prowess. we mounted a major effort. we rented a building and compound. we hired haitian led staff. we established conservation facilities, deployed experts from the smithsonian and other museums, saved 35,000 artworks. an artifact. trained more than a hundred haitians. and conservation first aid repaired and improved galleries and museums. and with the help of ben stiller established a conservation center. this university in port au prince. so that haitians can be to to conserve cultural heritage in their own hands as rightly should be the case. i hired corey at the smithsonian and we started the cultural rescue initiative. we got a congressional appropriation and crucial key support from bank america bank of america from the very beginning we were short we were called on to respond to crises in mali, nepal, syria, iraq and egypt, the bahamas and working domestically with and others. we took on project superstar in new york after, superstorm sandy in texas, carolina, the midwest, puerto rico, u.s. virgin islands and els

i just have a few close remarks on corey wagner, the director of the rescue initiative. colonel dejesse and i have so many colleagues partners to thank. you will find thanks and acknowledgments on the last page of the program. have a read of that. i would like to thank and recognize my partner, scott dejesse. he started the journey with me many years ago. i also want to thank many of our colleagues. they have supported it training. they have pushed through the orders. they have got people quickly into their units. this was all done during the whole thing of covid. thank you to you. i also want to give a special thanks to the smithsonian cultural rescue staff. they have supported this vision for such a long time. other smithsonian staff supported the training. they worked hard to realize this important program. i want to thank my boss for believing in the aid and supporting us 100%. my heartfelt thanks to my husband, paul wagner. he has supported my dream for this course. he continued to support everything as a volunteer and chief logistics training officer. [applause] --

i just have a few close remarks on corey wagner, the director of the rescue initiative. colonel dejesse and i have so many colleagues partners to thank. you will find thanks and acknowledgments on the last page of the program. have a read of that. i would like to thank and recognize my partner, scott dejesse. he started the journey with me many years ago. i also want to thank many of our colleagues. they have supported it training. they have pushed through the orders. they have got people quickly into their units. this was all done during the whole thing of covid. thank you to you. i also want to give a special thanks to the smithsonian cultural rescue staff. they have supported this vision for such a long time. other smithsonian staff supported the training. they worked hard to realize this important program. i want to thank my boss for believing in the aid and supporting us 100%. my heartfelt thanks to my husband, paul wagner. he has supported my dream for this course. he continued to support everything as a volunteer and chief logistics training officer. [applause] --

the impact that we made commit us to create the smithsonian cultural rescue initiative, led by corey wagner, and implemented the lessons of haiti, it is had a tremendous impact, and that is true in places around the world, like egypt, nepal, and syria. but also here in the united states, in places like post hurricane florence, south carolina. another way we protect cultural heritage is through our collaboration with the u. s. state department's cultural heritage coordinating committee. and as a charter member, the smithsonian facilitates data, and knowledge, to better preserve and protect the cultural output of peoples everywhere. the war in ukraine is a reminder of just how important these kinds of efforts are. and as a charter member, the smithsonian facilitates data, and knowledge, to better preserve and protect the cultural output of peoples everywhere. the war in ukraine is a reminder of just how important these kinds of efforts are. as the war takes a terrible toll, not just on its citizens, but also on its history and culture. it is vital that we continue improving our ability to mak