UNESCO grants ‘enhanced protection’ to cultural heritage sites in the Middle East

At the request of the Lebanese Government, UNESCO placed 39 World Heritage sites in the country under so-called “enhanced protection”.  

But what is “enhanced protection” and what can the UN agency do to help in times of war? To help answer these questions, UN News spoke to Krista Pikkat, Director of Culture and Emergencies Entity at UNESCO. 

Living heritage under threat 

UNESCO has repeatedly warned about the impact of the hostilities on the region’s very rich and diverse cultural heritage. Since the outbreak of the war, UNESCO has received reports of damage to more than 20 different cultural sites, including World Heritage Sites and others of national importance.  

“We verify the reports that we receive from different sources either through satellite images by analyzing the before and after images, or through on-site inspections,” explained Ms. Pikkat. 

UNESCO has now confirmed damage to five cultural properties in the region, including a synagogue, the Golestan palace, the Sa’dabad palace and the old Senat palace – all in Iran – along with Tyre in Lebanon, where UNESCO has confirmed damage. “It’s the living heritage of the communities that is under threat,” Ms. Pikkat stressed.  

What is ‘enhanced protection’? 

Lebanon has 39 sites on UNESCO’s “enhanced protection” list, the most of any country.  

“Enhanced protection is the highest level of international legal protection that exists” under the Second Protocol to the 1954 Hague Convention, Ms. Pikkat explained. “It’s granted to sites that are of greatest importance to humanity and it provides them with the highest level of immunity from military attacks.” 

Any State or party not complying with the Convention could be guilty of a war crime. 

In Lebanon, UNESCO works closely with the authorities, especially the Directorate General of Antiquities, providing technical advice and support for emergency cultural heritage protection. This includes training, emergency inventories, safeguarding measures, rehabilitating storage sites, evacuation guidelines for movable heritage, and marking protected sites with the Blue Shield emblem to ensure their protection.  

More than stones and mortar 

Particularly during conflict, UNESCO urges restraint and protection for educational, cultural, media and scientific institutions, as they form the foundation of future societies. 

The UN agency insists that in times of war, culture and heritage define people’s identity, providing comfort and support to communities.  

When these key building blocks of society are targeted, their destruction deepens trauma, fuels resentment, and hinders recovery and dialogue, UNESCO says.  

“We shouldn’t only consider culture as something that is fragile and needs protection,” Ms. Pikkat insists. “Culture is also a source of resilience. It’s also an economic asset for recovery and peacebuilding.”