Paris, 4 March 2026 — UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay today issued a formal statement condemning the deliberate destruction of cultural heritage sites in active conflict zones, and calling on all parties to armed conflict to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law, including the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.
Director-General's Statement
"The targeting of cultural heritage is not collateral damage — it is a war crime. When a library is burned, a museum looted, or an ancient city reduced to rubble, the intent is to erase the identity and memory of a people. UNESCO will not be silent in the face of such acts.
"I call on all parties to active conflicts to immediately cease all attacks on cultural property. I call on states with influence over the parties to use that influence to enforce compliance with international humanitarian law. And I call on the international community to hold accountable those responsible for these deliberate acts of cultural destruction."
Recent Incidents
UNESCO's emergency cultural heritage documentation teams have recorded damage to or destruction of more than 1,800 cultural heritage sites across active conflict zones in the past 18 months. Incidents include the shelling of an Ottoman-era mosque in a UNESCO-protected historic city, the looting of multiple archaeological museums, and deliberate bulldozing of pre-Islamic archaeological sites.
UNESCO's Emergency Response
UNESCO has activated its heritage emergency protocols in multiple conflict-affected contexts, deploying rapid documentation teams and coordinating with the Blue Shield international network. UNESCO has transmitted formal notifications to relevant parties under Article 16 of the 1954 Hague Convention.
UNESCO is also working with Member States to prepare enhanced protection designations for the most vulnerable heritage properties and is providing technical assistance for the digitisation of endangered collections.
