Human chain at Golestan Palace shows support for Iran’s cultural heritage
Amid growing concerns over recent threats against Iran’s cultural heritage, a group of people and members of non-governmental organizations gathered on Saturday in the inner courtyard of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Golestan Palace to amplify public support for Iran’s historical identity.
Participants in the gathering, holding placards with protest messages, described the recent attacks on historical buildings, museums, and heritage sites as a clear assault on the historical memory and civilizational identity of nations, and called for a firm response from international institutions, according to IRNA.
During the event, attendees formed a human chain in the heart of one of Iran’s most important UNESCO-listed sites, demonstrating a tangible symbol of national solidarity in the protection of cultural heritage — an act that sent a clear message of social resolve to safeguard the country’s identity-based assets.
The participants also signed a petition and a statement addressed to UNESCO, calling for the organization’s official condemnation of these actions and for legal follow-up to halt attacks on Iran’s cultural and historical sites.
In remarks on the sidelines of the gathering, Maliheh Khalqi, the CEO of an NGO, emphasized the public nature of the movement, saying, “This gathering was held under the slogan ‘I am a guardian of Iran’s World Heritage,’ and its aim was to declare practical, on-the-ground support for cultural heritage, especially World Heritage sites.”
She added that public gatherings in support of cultural heritage would continue, and that efforts would be made to turn this demand into a broader public and international discourse.
The gathering took place as cultural heritage activists view attacks on historical monuments not only as a threat to national assets, but also as a direct assault on humanity’s shared heritage — an issue that underscores, more than ever, the urgent need for an immediate response from the international community.