The Destruction of Heritage Sites in the Middle East Lauren Liotti 2016 Overview Overview Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property Motivation • Ideological • Salafism • Political • Erasure of culture • Sensational • Media Coverage • Financial Results • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f83i5k6EgTs&i ndex=5&list=PLAtfWAdHzWmBiIJ- evsIWulgCr8w8uS0n/ Destruction in Iraq Fall of Mosul List of World Heritage Sites in Iraq The Fall of Mosul • June 10th-14th 2014 • City in Northern Iraq • ISIS released a video showing members using sledgehammers to smash some of the city’s ancient artifacts • Overnight, the city was transformed and sharia law was imposed Destruction of the Library • February 2015 • 100,000 books and manuscripts destroyed Destruction in Syria Site of Palmyra List of World Heritage Sites in Syria Destruction of the Site of Palmyra • http://www.theguardian.com/world/ng- interactive/2016/apr/08/palmyra-after-islamic- state-isis-visual-guide • Report of the UNESCO Rapid Assessment Mission to the World Heritage “Site of Palmyra” Syrian Arab Republic, 23-27 April 2016 Other Heritage Sites Aleppo Role of the UN UNESCO UNESCO • United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization • “contribute to peace and security by promoting international collaboration through education, science, and culture” • 21 May 2015 Resolution • 40th World Heritage Committee Session Unite4Heritage Sustainable Development Goal 16 Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions UNDP: “Peace, stability, human rights and effective governance are important conduits for sustainable development” Solutions • Unfortunately, where ISIL still holds territory with heritage sites, not much can be done • The work of UNESCO and other organizations like the Global Heritage Fund is making progress in restoration and prevention Thank you “We are one humanity…In any culture there are outstanding objects and sites of outstanding universal value.” -Irina Bokova Citations • Barnard, Anne, and Hwaida Saad. “Palmyra Temple Was Destroyed by ISIS, U.N. Confirms.” New York Times [New York] 31 Aug. 2015: n. pag. New York Times. Web. 27 July 2016. • Bokova, Irina. “Culture Under Fire.” New York Times [New York] 6 Apr. 2012: n. pag. New York Times. Web. 27 July 2016. • Gladstone, Rick, and Maher Samaan. “ISIS Destroys More Artifacts in Syria and Iraq.” New York Times [New York] 3 July 2015: n. pag. New York Times. Web. 27 July 2016. • Gonzalez, Susan. “We All Have a Stake in Protecting Cultural Heritage, Says UNESCO Director-General.” YaleNews [New Haven] 12 Apr. 2016: n. pag. YaleNews. Web. 27 July 2016. • ISIS Culturally Cleansing the Middle East: UNESCO Director. By RT. Youtube. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 July 2016. • ISIS Destroys Mosul Museum Artifacts. By Youtube/Islamic State. New York Times. New York Times Company, 26 Feb. 2015. Web. 27 July 2016. • “Islamic State Group: Crisis in Seven Charts.” BBC. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 July 2016. Citations • Kramer, Andrew E., and Sewell Chan. “When Cultural Heritage Is Caught in the Cross Hairs.” New York Times [New York] 18 May 2016: n. pag. New York Times. Web. 27 July 2016. • Mackey, Robert. “Historians Pore Over ISIS Video of Smashed Statues for Clues to What’s Been Lose.” New York Times [New York] 26 Feb. 2015: n. pag. New York Times. Web. 27 July 2016. • “Site of Palmyra.” UNESCO. UNESCO World Heritage Centre, n.d. Web. 27 July 2016. • Syrian Arab Republic. Report of the UNESCO Rapid Assessment Mission to the World Heritage “Site of Palmyra.” N.p.: UNESCO, 2016. Digital file. • “UNESCO Experts Take Preliminary Stock of Destruction in World Heritage Site of Palmyra.” UNESCO. UNESCO World Heritage Centre, 27 Apr. 2016. Web. 27 July 2016. • #Unite4Heritage: The Story so Far. By UNESCO. Youtube. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 July 2016. • The War on Syria’s History. New York Times. New York Times Company, 17 May 2016. Web. 27 July 2016..