Statement in solidarity with the people of Ukraine

Mar 4, 2022 | News, Press Releases

Statement in solidarity with the people of Ukraine The Chairperson and Board of the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland (IAI) are appalled and deeply concerned by the ongoing military incursion by Russian forces on the territory of Ukraine, which is an unprovoked act of aggression towards the people of Ukraine. As the representative organisation for professional archaeologists working on the island of Ireland, we understand that the most valuable and irreplaceable resource a country has is its people. Whilst we may be geographically removed from what is going on in eastern Europe, we must do everything we can to help and support the people of Ukraine, they are our colleagues, friends and family, and they are in real and immediate danger. This unprovoked attack by President Putin and the forces of the Russian Federation should not be allowed to stand and we call on our government to take a decisive stance with our European partners to bring this conflict to an end and to support the humanitarian effort to help the Ukrainian people. As a member of the European Association of Archaeologists (EAA), the IAI fully endorses the statement issued by the EAA and applauds their list of helpful resources (https://www.e-a-a.org/EAA/Navigation_News/Ukraine_war_detail.aspx). Furthermore, we wish to echo the voices of our colleagues across Europe in their condemnation of the destruction of Ukraine’s rich cultural heritage by the Russian Federation. This is occurring as a means to demoralise and destroy Ukraine’s cultural identity; shared cultural heritage has the power to unite us all and its destruction, coupled with the environmental atrocities that are being committed, is an affront to us all....

Strategic Alliance between Professional Institutes in Archaeology

Nov 23, 2016 | News, Press Releases

On 22 November 2016, the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland (IAI) and the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding setting out the basis for cooperation between the two institutes. CIfA is the leading professional body representing archaeologists working in the UK and overseas. The IAI is the primary all-island professional organisation representing archaeologists working in Ireland and Northern Ireland. The IAI aims to advance and strengthen the profession of archaeology on the island of Ireland, creating a vibrant and sustainable archaeological profession that actively contributes to the protection of our archaeological resource, which in turn contributes to the social and economic wellbeing of the entire community. CIfA promotes high professional standards and strong ethics in archaeological practice, to maximise the benefits that archaeologists bring to society. It is the authoritative and effective voice for archaeologists, bringing recognition and respect to the profession.   Pictured at the signing- Peter Hinton, CIfA Chief Executive (Left), Iain Greenway, (Back), Michael MacDonagh, IAI Chair (Right) The agreement recognises a shared commitment to the promotion of professionalism in archaeology, and a duty to foster collaboration and to deploy the resources of the two organisations efficiently and effectively. It sets out some areas of immediate and longer-term joint working.   IAI Chair, Michael MacDonagh said of the agreement: ‘This document marks the beginning of a strategic partnership between two organisations which have a common purpose. We will be sharing some of the communications and benefits we provide our memberships, and we have committed to an exploration of the potential to align Standards documents, and to permit read-across between each institute’s accreditation...