A Guardian columnist wrote about the destruction of cultural heritage during wars
In an article on the consequences of modern wars, The Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins writes that armed conflicts lead not only to the loss of life and the destruction of cities, but also to the loss of cultural and historical heritage. He cites Ukraine, Gaza, Iran, and Lebanon as examples.
According to UNESCO data cited by the author, 545 historic buildings in Ukraine have been destroyed or left in a state of disrepair, including 156 religious sites and 43 museums. According to Jenkins, Russia, the aggressor state, bombed the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and the Assumption Cathedral, and also damaged St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. The author also mentions the attack on the cathedral and museum in Odesa and the destruction of the drama theater in Mariupol.
In his column, Jenkins cites a Reuters report from June that described the partial destruction of the historic Naqsh-e Jahan Square, the Jameh Mosque, and the Governor’s Palace in Isfahan, Iran. According to him, the Golestan Palace in Tehran was significantly damaged. He also mentions a UNESCO report on an attack on an 1,800-year-old fortress that encompassed a prehistoric settlement.
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The author also draws attention to Gaza, where, according to reports, more than 80% of buildings have been damaged or destroyed. He writes about Israeli strikes on the medieval Great Omari Mosque and the Church of St. Porphyrius, as well as the loss of Gaza’s archives, the Omari Mosque library, the cultural center, and the Al-Karara Museum. In Lebanon, Jenkins mentions the bombing of the ancient port of Tyre, the attack on the site of the Roman hippodrome, and the damage to the millennia-old Beaufort Fortress.
The columnist also referenced the 1954 Hague Convention and the 1972 Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Context of the Protection of Historical Monuments. He highlighted the work of the World Monuments Fund’s Crisis Response Program, which, he said, provides assistance to protect and stabilize damaged buildings, particularly in Ukraine.
