In light of escalated
violence in the vicinity of several historic urban areas in Syria, the
Director-General reiterates her appeal of 30 March 2012, to all parties
involved in the conflict to protect all Syrian cultural heritage.
UNESCO is particularly alarmed over reports
of heavy fighting in Aleppo, which ancient city is a World Heritage site.
Strategically positioned on historic trade routes linking East and West, this
ancient city has conserved an astounding monumental heritage reflecting the
diverse cultures of the peoples that have settled here over millennia including
the Hittites, Assyrians, Greeks, Romans, Umayyads, Ayyubids, Mongols, Mamelukes
and Ottomans. The ancient city of Aleppo has been inscribed on the World
Heritage List since 1986.
Owing to the volatile security situation, it
has not been possible to assess the extent of the damage to the ancient city of
Aleppo and several other World Heritage sites including the Crac des
Chevaliers, Palmyra, the Ancient Villages in Northern Syria and Damascus.
In the current context of civil strife,
UNESCO is also particularly concerned about the risks of looting and pillaging
of cultural property. As part of its efforts to mobilize the international
community for the protection of Syria’s cultural heritage, UNESCO has alerted
the World Customs Organization, INTERPOL, as well as Syria’s neighbouring
countries to the potential threats of illicit trafficking in Syrian cultural
objects. The Director-General also contacted the United Nations Secretary
General and the Chairperson of the Security Council to bring the attention of
Kofi Annan, the Special Envoy for the United Nations and the League of Arab
States, to the importance of ensuring that the provisions of the international
conventions regarding protection of cultural property are respected, especially
the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event
of Armed Conflict and the 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and
Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural
Property. UNESCO is in close contact with the UN Resident Coordinator in
Damascus concerning the situation.
The Director-General urges all parties to
respect and protect Syria’s great cultural legacy, which constitutes a source
of identity and fulfilment for its people, and to abide by their international
obligations in the area of culture.
©Unesco
Author/Ron Van Oers - The Ancient City of Aleppo was inscribed on the World
Heritage List in 1986
