The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has vowed to protect the world’s cultural treasures and heritage sites against the increasing threat of terrorism and wars—now, more than ever. The statement was made at the 40th session of the World Heritage Committee in Istanbul.

At its 11-day session, the World Heritage Committee will discuss ways to prevent terrorists from smuggling and destroying cultural relics around the globe.

Ancient sites in war-torn countries such as Syria and Iraq have drawn wide attention at the meeting, as the espansion of extremists and military conflicts are considered to be a major threat to heritage protection in those areas.

“In the last years we have witnessed an escalation of conflicts that have affected and damaged cultural heritages in the Middle East in Iraq and other sites,” said Nada Al Hassan, chief of Arab States Unit, World Heritage Center Culture Sector.

Since 2014, the Islamic State group has been deliberately destroying cultural heritages in Syria, Iraq and Libya, targeting various places of worship and historical artifacts.  Historic sites such as the remains around Palmyra in Syria and Mosul in Iraq had been destroyed and laid to waste for military goals.

The participants emphasized the importance of promoting the creation of art objects around the world while paying respect to ethnic and cultural diversities as an answer to terrorism and war.

The participants emphasized the importance of promoting the creation of art objects around the world while paying respect to ethnic and cultural diversities as an answer to terrorism and war.

“In the museum, many of the objects are stolen. We’ll be under the Iraqi government’s control,” said Qahtan Alabeed, director of Basrah Antiquites.

At its Istanbul session, the heritage committee will also review the nominations of 29 new sites to the prestigious World Heritage List. Nine sites are natural, 16 are cultural and four are a combination.
 
In addition, 156 sites already on the list and those on the List of World Heritages in Danger will be subjected to the committee’s examination. As of now, the World Heritage List has 1,031 sites in more than 160 countries.