protecting cultural heritage

The Temple of Charyos in southern Iraq, built during the same Mesopotamian era when the Gilgamesh Dream Tablet was inscribed.
UNESCO/Qahtan Al-Abeed

UNESCO hails return of looted ancient Gilgamesh tablet to Iraq

20 September 2021
Culture and Education

The Gilgamesh Dream Tablet - one of the oldest surviving literary works in history - is to be returned to Iraq by the United States later this week, the UN agency for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO), said on Monday.

Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO’s Director-General (left), visits a school in Beirut which was damaged by the explosion on August 4th.
UNESCO

UNESCO launches Beirut recovery fund for culture, heritage and education

27 August 2020
Culture and Education

To support the rehabilitation of schools, historic heritage buildings, museums and the creative economy, which suffered extensive damage in the deadly explosions that shook Beirut earlier this month, the head of the UN cultural agency on Thursday launched an international fund-raising appeal.

 

A resident walks past Djingareyber Mosque in Timbuktu, Mali, once a legendary city with a large collection of treasured manuscripts, now an endangered UNESCO World Heritage Site.
UN Photo/Marco Dormino

UNESCO urges caution over fraudulent African artefacts, sold in its name

1 July 2020
Culture and Education

The UN on Wednesday revealed the existence of an illicit trafficking scam in African cultural artefacts, which are being sold to unsuspecting buyers, thanks to the entirely fake UNESCO stamp they come with.

Destruction at the World Heritage site of Palmyra in Syria.
©UNESCO/Francesco Bandarin (file) 26979

“Cultural cleansing” by terrorists is a war crime: UNESCO chief

24 March 2017
General News

The destruction of cultural heritage by terrorists, described as “cultural cleansing” by the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is a war crime.

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Archaeological site of Palmyra in Syria.
©UNESCO/F. Bandarin

World must act “rapidly and forcefully” to protect heritage from terrorists

22 September 2016
General News

The international community must act “rapidly and forcefully” to prevent more cultural heritage from being irrevocably destroyed by terrorist groups.

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