Modern warfare is systematically erasing human history, as conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Iran, and Lebanon devastate cultural heritage sites. A grim stalemate has settled over these regions, with aerial bombardment defying diplomacy and causing irreparable losses to humanity's shared past.
Ukraine's Cultural Devastation
Vladimir Putin's desire to eliminate Ukraine's historical identity has led to its cultural devastation. Two weeks ago, Unesco reported the destruction or dereliction of 545 historic buildings, including 156 religious sites and 43 museums. The bombing of Kyiv's Pechersk Lavra complex, the Dormition cathedral, and St Sophia cathedral, along with attacks in Odesa and Mariupol, has received little publicity in the west.
Damage Across the Middle East
In Iran, the historic Naqsh-e Jahan Square, the Jameh mosque, and the governor's palace in Isfahan have been partially destroyed, as have Tehran's Golestan palace and an 1,800-year-old fortress. In Gaza, over 80% of buildings have been damaged or destroyed, including the Great Omari mosque and the fifth-century church of St Porphyrius. Gaza's archives, the Omari mosque's library, and the Al Qarara museum have been lost. Israel's war on Lebanon has damaged the ancient port of Tyre, including the Roman hippodrome, and the 1,000-year-old fortress of Beaufort.
Failure of International Protections
The Hague Convention of 1954 and the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in 1972 have failed to prevent this destruction. Victory today appears to lie in destroying an enemy's identity and morale. Unesco keeps a record of the devastation, but a record is just a record. The World Monuments Fund's Crisis Response Program sends aid, advice, and materials to war zones, with 26 completed projects in Ukraine, helping to protect and stabilise bombed buildings.
