Paris, On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Hague Convention, UNESCO has announced a series of new initiatives aimed at bolstering the protection of cultural property in conflict zones. These efforts build upon decades of work under the convention, originally established to safeguard cultural sites during armed conflicts. The new measures include the creation of training programs for judiciary professionals, a civil-military collaboration to protect heritage sites, and advanced technology training for site managers.
According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the initiatives were revealed during an international conference in The Hague, commemorating both the convention and the broader goal of preserving global cultural heritage. These include a judicial training program focused on the collection and analysis of data related to heritage destruction, the formation of a civil-military alliance to foster specialized protection units, especially in Africa, and the utilization of modern technologies like satellite imagery and AI to prevent damage to cultural sites.
UNESCO has also continued its traditional support for cultural preservation through training military personnel and providing financial assistance to countries like Burkina Faso, Libya, Mali, Paraguay, and Ukraine, helping them manage risks and recover from conflicts. The organization maintains a list of cultural properties under enhanced protection, which currently includes 55 sites worldwide, to prioritize their safety and provide legal tools for action against their destruction.