Culture and Education

A statue of a lamassu, an Assyrian protective deity, at the North West Palace of Ashurnasirpal in Nimrud, Iraq.
UNESCO (file)

UNESCO condemns destruction at Iraq’s Nimrud site

13 April 2015
Middle East

The United Nations agency mandated with protecting heritage sites worldwide today denounced further destruction at the archaeological site of Nimrud in Iraq, calling the deliberate damage of culture a "war crime" and pledging to do everything possible to fight it.

The UNESCO World Heritage site of Hatra in Iraq.
UNESCO/Véronique Dauge

‘We must respond,’ declares UNESCO chief, launching #Unite4Heritage campaign in Baghdad

28 March 2015
Middle East

Taking an innovative step to support Iraqi youth and to mobilize young people worldwide for the protection of cultural heritage, Irina Bokova, Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) launched today at Baghdad University #Unite4Heritage, a social media campaign to counter the propaganda of cultural cleansing.

UNESCO calls for the protection of Yemen’s cultural heritage, such as the old city of Sana’a.
UNESCO/Maria Gropa

UNESCO calls for the protection of cultural heritage in Yemen

27 March 2015
Middle East

The escalation of armed conflict in Yemen threatens the country’s cultural heritage, warned the head of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the world body’s agency responsible for protecting cultural property.

Afghans celebrate Nowruz – New Year – with special meals, decorations and gifts and it's a time for renewal and for promoting peace and solidarity.
UNAMA/Fardin Waezi

In turbulent times, Nowruz carries forward message of peace, harmony: UN

21 March 2015
Global

Nowruz takes place this year as the United Nations works to shape a new vision for a sustainable future and adopt a meaningful universal climate agreement, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, calling the ancient celebration of spring “a moment of unity and solidarity, within and among societies, that is all the more important at times of strife and division.”