Global bodies silent ...
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The World Heritage Center must follow up on the status of sites listed as World Heritage and those on the tentative list. UNESCO’s failure to intervene constitutes a serious violation of the nature of this organization, bringing shame to the global cultural community.
In wartime, regardless of UNESCO’s position, our primary address is to the countries involved in the conflict; they must adhere to accepted international rules and refrain from destroying historical and cultural heritage. Bitter experiences of cultural heritage destruction in recent decades show that sometimes groups or governments have been indifferent to these commitments, from the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan by the Taliban to the extensive damage inflicted on historical cities in the region, including Aleppo. In many of these cases, international organizations also failed to prevent these damages in a timely manner.
In such circumstances, it is the responsibility of international organizations to respond with greater sensitivity and accountability to any damage, destruction, or threat against historical sites, especially those registered on the World Heritage list. The war we are currently facing differs in many respects from previous ones, and its dimensions threaten the civilizational and historical assets of a wide range of the world.
Evidence shows that UNESCO has adopted a passive approach in preventing threats and destruction of Iran’s historical heritage. Indifference to such events raises the suspicion that either political considerations hinder effective action, or the mechanisms of these institutions are insufficient to fulfill their real roles. Therefore, it is necessary to pursue this issue through international forums and organizations to clarify UNESCO’s responsibility and actual function in protecting World Heritage.