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At the request of the Lebanese Government, UNESCO placed the country’s 39 World Heritage sites under so-called “enhanced protection”.
But what is meant by “enhanced protection” and what can the UN agency do to help in times of war? To help answer these questions, UN News spoke with Krista Pikkat, Director of the Agency for Culture and Emergencies at UNESCO.
Living heritage is threatened
UNESCO has repeatedly warned of the impact of hostilities on the region’s incredibly rich and diverse cultural heritage. Since the outbreak of the war, UNESCO has received reports of damage more than 20 different cultural sites, including World Heritage Sites and other national interests.
“We verify the reports we receive from various sources either through satellite imagery by analyzing before and after images, or through on-site inspections,” explained Mrs. Pikkat.
UNESCO has now confirmed damage to five cultural properties in the region, including synagogue, Golestan palace, Sa’dabad. the palace and the old Senate palace – all in Iran – along with Tyre in Lebanon, where UNESCO confirmed damage. “It is the people’s heritage that is being threatened,” stressed Mrs. Pikkat.
What is ‘enhanced protection’?
Lebanon has 39 sites UNESCO “enhanced protection” listthe most of any country.
“Enhanced protection is the highest level of international legal protection ever” under Second Protocol to the 1954 Hague Conventionexplained Mrs. Pikkat. “It is awarded to the sites most important to humanity and provides them with the highest level of immunity from military attack.”
Any state or party that does not comply with this Convention may be found guilty of war crimes.
In Lebanon, UNESCO is working with the authorities, in particular the Directorate General of Antiquities, providing technical advice and support for the emergency protection of cultural heritage. This includes training, emergency inventory, security measures, rehabilitation of storage locations, evacuation guidelines for movable heritage, and marking of protected sites with Blue Shield symbol to ensure their protection.
More than just bricks and mortar
Especially during conflict, UNESCO urges the restriction and protection of educational, cultural, media and scientific institutions, because these institutions are the foundation of future societies.
The UN agency emphasized that in times of war, culture and heritage determine people’s identity, provide comfort and support to society.
When important elements of society are targeted, their destruction deepens trauma, fuels hatred and hinders healing and dialogue, UNESCO said.
“We must not just think of culture as something that is fragile and needs to be protected,” emphasized Mrs. Pikkat. “Culture is also a source of resilience. It is also an economic asset for recovery and peace building.”
