Why we need to protect our cultural heritage sites

ISIS has taken full control of Syria’s ancient city of Palmyra.

There hasn’t been any reported destruction of the ruins yet, but the world is waiting anxiously to see what ISIS does next.

For those of you who don’t know, ISIS is an Islamic Militant group that has wreaked havoc around the world. The group has beheaded journalists, committed war crimes, abused human rights, and destroyed priceless archaeological artefacts, like in the ancient Iraqi cities of Hatra and Nimrud.

For this reason UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and the international community are extremely worried that the ancient city of Palmyra will be destroyed at the hands of ISIS.

In a statement on Wednesday Bokova said:

“I am deeply concerned by the situation at the site of Palmyra. The fighting is putting at risk one of the most significant sites in the Middle East, and its civilian population. I reiterate my appeal for an immediate cessation of hostilities at the site. I further call on the international community to do everything in its power to protect the affected civilian population and safeguard the unique cultural heritage of Palmyra. Finally, it is imperative that all parties respect international obligations to protect cultural heritage during conflict, by avoiding direct targeting, as well as use for military purposes.”

You may be asking yourself what exactly UNESCO cultural heritage sites even are and why any of this is important. Great questions. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is identified by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization as of special cultural or physical significance. These sites are described by UNESCO as irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. And because of their significance to the world's cultural and natural heritage, UNESCO protects and preserves the sites around the world that are considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.

Some noteworthy sites include the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, The Great Wall of China, the Acropolis in Athens, the Pyramids in Egypt, the Taj Mahal in India, the Medina in Marrakesh...can you imagine a world without these incredibly beautiful historical sites? It pains me to even fathom that reality. Here is a full list of all of the UNESCO Cultural Heritage Sites.

So.. that’s why this is such a big deal! The destruction of these cultural heritage sites is devastating to the world, our cultural identities and it threatens the vast knowledge that lives on through preserving these historical places. Destroying the ancient ruins of Palmyra, or any UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site will irreversibly set back global cultural development and erase valuable parts of our world’s history. I truly hope we don’t see this manifest.

TopicsGlobal Asia syria UNESCO article