LIMUN HS TH 25TH NOVEMBER 2018 UNESCO

LIMUN HS 2018 24TH 25TH NOVEMBER 2018 UNESCO

Contents Introduction to the Chairs p.3 Introduction to the Committee p.4 Topic: SAFEGUARDING CULTURAL HERITAGE IN CONFLICT ZONES Introduction p.4 History of the topic p.7 Discussion of the topic p.9 Bloc positions p.13 Points a Resolution must address p.14 Further Reading p.14 Bibliography p.15 2

INTRODUCTION TO THE CHAIRS Dear delegates, Welcome to the 2018 London International Model United Nations: High School. My name is Simeon Onaji and it is my greatest pleasure to serve as your Director at this conference. I am an MA student in International Development at the University College London (UCL). My involvement with Model United Nations started in my final year of high school and has been a major part of my life ever since. I have attended numerous conferences across the UK and abroad both as a delegate and a chair. Model United Nations has been such a rewarding experience and really shaped my view of the world we live in. It is amazing to meet people like you who are highly motivated and intelligent - and discuss the world s most pressing issues with them! I am sure all of you feel the same way and I am eager to hear all of your input and see you put your motivation and talent into action at the conference. Beside MUN I am very interested in corruption, particularly the challenges facing anticorruption agencies in developing countries. In my free time, I like to go traveling, hiking or enjoy a relaxing game of tennis. I am looking forward to a fruitful debate in UNESCO and I am eager to get to know all of you! Dear delegates, Hi, I'm Patrick Carter- Cortez and I will be serving as an Assistant Director of UNESCO LIMUN: HS 2018! I'm a British Bolivian physics student at Imperial College London and former President of ICMUN. Despite only MUNing for 2 years, I have attended 8 conferences - picking up awards along the way. My hobbies include playing the violin and watching Sandra Bullock movies. Oh, and my favorite date is April 25th. 3

INTRODUCTION TO THE COMMITTEE By 1942, World War II was well under way. For many people, the second global war in under a generation served as a reminder that peace could not be achieved merely on war agreements. True global peace would require more than an economic and political arrangement of governments. Hence an intellectual and moral solidarity of humanity was also needed. 1 On this concept, R.A. Butler, Chairman of the Board of Education of the United Kingdom, and Sir Malcolm Robertson, Chairman of the British Council, invited education leaders from allied countries to assemble for the Conference of Allied Ministers of Education (CAME). 2 A total of 15 countries were represented at the conference. They concluded that once peace was restored, another meeting should be held with a view to reconstructing their systems of education. According to two former UNESCO staff members, CAME was to be UNESCO starting point A manifestation of a general climate of hope. 3 The surrender of Imperial Japan on September 2 nd, 1945 marked the end of World War II. 4 The conference proposed at CAME was subsequently held the following month. On November 1 st, 1945, delegates from 44 countries met in London with the hope of establishing an organization that would embody a genuine culture of peace 5 and in doing so prevent the outbreak of another world war. 6 At the end of the conference, thirty-seven members founded the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The constitution of UNESCO, signed on 16 th of November 1945, came into effect on 4 November 1946. 7 Today, UNESCO boasts a membership of 195 states. All 193 United Nations (UN) member states, with the exception of Liechtenstein, are member states of UNESCO. In addition, three none UN member states participate as members of UNESCO: The Cook Islands, Niue, and the State of Palestine. Since it was founded seventy-two years ago, the organization has developed into a more sophisticated body with a much larger scope. Its primary objectives are: to promote access to quality education as a fundamental human right and as a prerequisite for human development, build intercultural understanding through the protection of heritage and the support for cultural diversity, pursue scientific cooperation and protect freedom of expression as an essential condition for democracy, development and human dignity. UNESCO works in a variety of ways to achieve the objectives it sets out before itself. 9 UNESCO work through building an international corporation, setting an international standard, promoting the development of ideas, providing member states with the necessary support required to carry out objectives and allocating resources to help them achieve it. UNESCO is unique in that it has a vast network of global and regional bodies organized to tackle specific issues within the organization s purview. The bodies deal with issues such as Educational Planning, World Heritage Sites and biosphere reserves. UNESCO s success lies in its 1 UNESCO, Introducing UNESCO, UNESCO, n.d., http://en.unesco.org/about-us/introducing-unesco 2 Ochs and Gimeno, Looking Back: Extract from UNESCO on the Eve of Its Fortieth Anniversary, 1985, 1985, http://www.unesco.org/education/pdf/ochs_1_e.pdf 3 Ibid 4 Antony Beever, The Second World War (London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2012). 5 UNESCO, Introducing UNESCO. 6 UNESCO, About Us. 7 UNESCO, Introducing UNESCO 4

ability to coordinate global resolutions with local communities and tailoring macro-size solutions to local conditions and needs. TITTLE OF THE TOPIC: SAFEGUARDING CULTURAL HERITAGE IN CONFLICT ZONES INTRODUCTION Once considered to be the Pearl of the desert, Palmyra has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980, renowned for its unique blend of Roman, Greek, Persian, and Islamic cultures. Since the start of the Syrian war back in 2011, the Islamic State (IS) has twice captured the ancient city, first in May 2015. The Assad government expelled the terrorist group from the city in March 2016, only to have it retaken again by December. After two years of protracted battle, government forces retook the city for good in March 2017 but not before IS had destroyed some of the city s most historic treasures. The group destroyed such ancient wonders as the Temple of Baal Shamin, the Temple of Bel, columns in the Valley of the Tombs and the Arch of Triumph. 8 Regrettably, the Islamic State, purposefully detonated explosives to destroy these cultural relics after capturing the city. 9 Their motive was to destroy the ancient ruins which did not adhere to their interpretation of Islam. Such devastating destruction permanently deprived mankind of structures, which previously helped connect people to bygone civilization and teach individuals about the culture and ideology of the past. UNESCO branded ISIS s actions as a new war crime and an immense loss for humanity 10. In today s environment with a multiplicity of ongoing conflicts, it would be remiss to ignore the potential for the destruction and loss of culture. The safeguarding of culture is entirely necessary to ensure a future with meaning, purpose, and a sense of direction. One of UNESCO s primary objectives is protecting the diversity of cultures around the world from disaster and preserving them for future generations. One of the ways it does this is through the UNESCO World Heritage programme. The programme seeks to protect cultural and natural sites of outstanding value to humanity. The World Heritage program is governed by the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Natural and Cultural Heritage (also known as the World Heritage Convention), an international treaty which was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO in 1972. The Convention defines the kind of natural or cultural sites that can be considered for inscription in the World Heritage List. It furthermore defines the duties of States Parties to identify, protect and preserve such sites, and stipulates how the World Heritage Fund is to be used for providing assistance. 11 As of 2018, 193 states have ratified the World Heritage Convention 12. UNESCO to date has 1092 monuments in 167 countries on its list. Fifty-four of those are on the list of World Heritage in 8 Kareem Shaheen, Isis destroys tetrapylon monument in Palmyra, Syria, 20 January 2017 9 Ibid 10 John Irish, UNESCO chief says latest destruction in Syria's Palmyra sites is 'war crime', January 20 2017 11 UNESCO, Convention concerning the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage, http://whc.unesco.org/archive/convention-en.pdf 12 UNESCO, States Parties Ratification Status, https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/ 5

Danger. 13 Inclusion into this list means that preparation of the specific measure to restore the values, which had originally led to its inclusion on the World Heritage list is required. There were only two cases in which sites have lost their title. It is important to note that the World Heritage system is largely based on the responsibilities of State Parties, and on the collaboration between the individual State Parties. In particular, State Parties are responsible for protecting and preserving the World Heritage sites within their territory, and to report upon the state of those sites to the World Heritage Committee. State Parties of the World Heritage Convention can request that any site within their territory be added to the List of World Heritage in Danger, or any private individual, nongovernmental organization or other groups can draw the attention of the World Heritage Committee to a site which might be in danger. KEY SUMMARY There are various possible reasons for an endangerment of site, for example armed conflicts or wars as highlighted by Palmyra in Syria. The dangers for World Heritage are categorized in two classes: ascertained dangers, which pose a specific and imminent threat, and potential dangers, which pose a possibly negative or damaging threat. When a site is listed as endangered, this allows the World Heritage Committee to allocate immediate assistance from the World Heritage Fund to the said property, in order to protect the site from losing its outstanding characteristics. UNESCO categorizes cultural heritage into tangibles, such as movable heritage like sculptures and paintings, immovable heritage like monuments and archaeological sites, underwater heritage like shipwrecks and cities, intangibles, such as performing arts and rituals, and natural heritage such as landscapes. 14 By caring for and valuing culture, societies can help promote happiness and understanding in both their citizens and foreigners abroad alike. 13 UNESCO, World Heritage List, https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/ 14 UNESCO, Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Property. 6

HISTORY OF THE TOPIC Among the many reasons to be listed as in danger, wars and armed conflicts are some of the most critical threats to the preservation of Cultural Heritage. In cases of armed conflict, individuals have direct effects on what can be preserved for future generations. War has great potential to destroy whole collections of cultural relics and items. The Syrian Civil War portrays the great loss society must bear when safeguards are not in place to protect cultural heritage. As mentioned earlier with the case of Palmyra, the Syrian civil war has caused untold damage and destruction to numerous heritage sites and cultural relics across the country. The country s ongoing armed conflict is indicative of the great loss society must bear when safeguards are not in place to protect cultural heritage. Country s ongoing armed conflict, now in its seventh year destroyed Aleppo, a city with a vibrant and ancient culture. As one of the longest continually inhabited cities in the world, its destruction is a source of great cultural loss. 15 One of the oldest castles in the world, the Citadel, was destroyed in the enduring conflict between the pro-assad and rebel forces. Furthermore, Aleppo s souk, a marketplace which signified its role as a crossroads between east and west was heavily damaged by fire triggered by artillery explosions. 16 In the process of fighting, Aleppo lost both its sites of ancient historical importance and its cultural identity as a long-lasting community engaged in a global economy. UNESCO has made clear the violations the Syrian army have committed by failing to take care of its heritage. 17 Unfortunately, these messages fell upon deaf ears. Without a system in place to ensure that conflict does not jeopardize cultural heritage, continued armed conflict will threaten any efforts to preserve culture for future generations. In recent years, several other cases of deliberate destruction of Cultural Heritage sites have caught the attention of the international community, such as the destruction of mausolea and shrines in Timbuktu, Mali in 2012 by Tuareg rebels 18, or attacks on the ancient fortified city of Hatra in Iraq by IS in 2015. 19 In both of these examples, as was the case in Palmyra, Islamist terrorist organizations engaged in the deliberate destruction of local cultural objects and sites especially when they run counter to their ideological goals. Another example of the destruction of Cultural Heritage during wars is the destruction of the Buddha of Bamiyan statues in Afghanistan by the Taliban in 2014. In addition, the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a Natural Heritage site renowned for its biodiversity and endangered species, has been regularly threatened by the military clashes in the region. 20 However, deliberate attacks on Cultural Heritage sites are not the only form in which these heritage sites are threatened or damaged by armed conflicts. The second form of such a severe threat is illicit trafficking of artifacts or archaeological looting. Criminal gangs and individuals have discovered this 15 Jeffrey Brown, Syrian Civil War Threatens Destruction, Looting of Ancient Aleppo Heritage, 25 October 2012. 16 Ibid 17 Ibid 18 Monica Mar, Malian Islamists attack world heritage site mosques in Timbuktu, 2 July 2012. 19 Islamic State 'demolishes' ancient Hatra site in Iraq, 7 March 2015. 20 UNESCO, Declaration by the UNESCO Director General concerning Virunga National Park, World Heritage site 30 October 2008 7

lucrative source of income and have generated significant revenue by illegally removing artifacts and antiquities from heritage sites and selling them for profit. 21 Armed conflict and instability in many regions have left archaeological sites of significant importance in danger of illicit trafficking. Many of these sites hold information about various civilizations and time periods including the Bronze and Iron Ages and the Roman, Greek, Byzantine, and Islamic empires. 22 Removal of artifacts from these sites damages cultural heritage in several ways. It deprives communities of the benefit of maintaining pieces of their culture and obtaining knowledge from the past from them. Further, a loss of antiquities frustrates efforts of archaeologists in making sense of the heritage sites they are examining, preventing efforts to gain historical understanding. Finally, the process of stealing these items is often incredibly destructive and leaves other antiquities and the archaeological sites in a state of disrepair and purposelessness. Without vigilance and solutions, looting poses to destroy vast troves of cultural heritage and knowledge in the coming decades. Archaeological looting is fostered by the general instability in many of these countries, where theft of artifacts cannot be effectively prevented by the police force, or because terrorist organizations control the regions in which the Cultural Heritage sites lie. The destruction of Cultural Heritage sites can be viewed in principle as a war crime according to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). 23 It is stated in article 8.2.b.ix of the statute that Intentionally directing attacks against buildings dedicated to religion, education, art, science or charitable purposes, historic monuments is a war crime, which can be punished by the ICC. However, the Rome Statutes have not been signed or ratified by many States (including the United States of America, the People s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, and several others), which severely undermines the significance of the provided definition. In addition, terrorist organizations such as the Islamic State tend to not pay much attention to international law, rendering the above definition largely ineffective in many cases. Furthermore, the Geneva Convention also mentions the destruction of Cultural Heritage as a crime of war. What is clear however is that terrorist actions in armed conflict must be condemned and more should be done to hold terrorists groups accountable for their actions if the destruction of great and 21 Rpbin Ngo, Can we prevent archaeological looting? 6 July 2017 22 Ibid 23 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court 17 July 1998 8

rich cultural heritages are to be prevented. Moreover, the illegal trading of antiquities needs to be ended to prevent these terrorist groups from acquiring money to further fund their illegal activities, including the pillaging and destruction of cultural sites. DISCUSSION OF THE TOPIC PAST ACTON Beginning with its founding, one of UNESCO s major objectives is to preserve cultural heritage and archaeology worldwide, particularly those in conflict zones. UNESCO is able to fulfill its objectives by identifying, safeguarding, and preserving sites, objects, and practices of cultural significance. 24 UNESCO has actively encouraged countries to sign the World Heritage Convention and the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict in 1954, it established management and reporting systems, helped provide training and assistance to national governments, provided emergency assistance to World Heritage Sites, promoted international cooperation in cultural conservation, and facilitated public outreach programs. 25 Through these actions, UNESCO has successfully safeguarded many cultural sites for future generations to engage with and enjoy. UNESCO bases its mission to safeguard cultural heritage in conflict zones on the creation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on December 16th, 1996. Article 15 of the covenant recognizes the right of all individuals to take part in cultural life and maintains that member-states are obligated to take action to ensure that culture is both conserved and allowed to develop and diffuse throughout society. 26 This recognition is essential to the understanding of UNESCO s objectives. UNESCO views the safeguarding of cultural heritage as necessary to human enrichment and inherent to the rights of the individual. 27 Because individuals have a right to engage with their culture and as a result of governments being tasked with the safeguarding of cultural heritage, any action, which threatens the cultural conservation must be taken seriously. By working to ensure that state parties honor their signature to the International Covenant, UNESCO can ensure that the effort to safeguard cultural heritage even in conflict zones remains a high priority for the international community. UNESCO assists member states with the staffing and education necessary to safeguard cultural heritage within their territory, sharing conservation research, and monitoring signatories to ensure each nation does not violate its pledge as set out in the World Heritage Convention of 1972. 28 Nations regularly report the status of their conservation sites and this information has allowed UNESCO to make important decisions in an effort to remedy systematic issues and drive interest in safeguarding heritage sites. UNESCO is partially able to do this through the World Heritage Fund, which helps to support nations in protecting cultural heritage sites. 29 24 UNESCO, Preserving and Promotion Heritage 25 Ibid 26 United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. 27 Ibid 28 UNESCO, The World Heritage Convention. 29 Ibid 9

The World Heritage Fund joins member-states together in an effort to protect cultural heritage with the understanding that there is a universal desire to preserve heritage for future generations. While member states help to spread awareness through signing the convention, they also receive access to the World Heritage Fund. The World Heritage Fund provides around $4 million USD annually to support conservation efforts, particularly heritage sites in conflict zones. 30 Because of its longstanding history, the World Heritage Convention has become a global central body that numerous organizations and initiatives recognize and engage with to further safeguarding measures and conservation progress. It has also become entrenched in local communities and fostered a commitment to organizing sustainable tourism practices to ensure the longevity and integrity of these sites. To establish regulations and help preserve cultural heritage sites during times of conflict, nations convened at The Hague on May 14th, 1954 to ratify the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict with Regulations for the Execution of the Convention. This convention recognized that human conflict and warfare jeopardize sites of significant cultural value and laid out responsibilities for member-states to minimize damage to these sites during times of war. 31 Damage to any cultural heritage site is viewed under this convention as an assault on all nations as opposed to merely the one possessing the site. Nations are expected to prepare the safeguarding of cultural property during times of peace in the expectation that they would be damaged during future times of war. 32 Militaries of all nations are expected to be educated with the respect for the cultural heritage of all peoples in the anticipation that future military campaigns avoid unnecessary destruction and vandalism of cultural property. Special immunities are granted to cultural heritage sites, protecting them from occupation, theft, and captured by military forces. Sites can be designated as no-fire zones, preventing military activity that could destroy or damage cultural heritage. 33 These stipulations have recently been expanded as conflict in nations threatens sites of great archaeological and cultural importance. As mentioned before, violence against cultural heritage sites now potentially constitutes a war crime and is, therefore, a grave offense that merits harsher punishments. In conjunction with the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict with Regulations for the Execution of the Convention, the International Committee of the Blue Shield (ICBS) was established to promote the protection of cultural property against threats of all kinds and to intervene strategically with decision making and international organizations to prevent and to respond to natural and man-made disasters. 34 ICBS works to reduce the risk of cultural heritage damage by consulting with officials and the public to highlight specific threats and develop preparedness plans. 35 ICBS works as an advisor to other organizations including UNESCO and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICEC). ICBS utilizes its offices in communities across the world to gather information on threats to all forms of cultural heritage and assist other organizations in assessing and preserving cultural heritage. 30 UNESCO, Funding 31 UNESCO, Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict with Regulations for the Execution of the Convention 1954. 32 Ibid 33 Ibid 34 Blue Shield International, International Committee of the Blue Shield (ICBS). 35 Ibid 10

UNESCO S ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE Because the preservation and conservation of cultural heritage can require significant expertise and resources, UNESCO has laid out several charters to outline the steps necessary to conserve cultural heritage correctly. 36 The International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites (The Venice Charter 1964), was created to guide nations in their efforts to maintain their cultural heritage sites. 37 While each country is responsible for maintaining their cultural heritage sites in a manner that functions within their own cultural framework and traditions, there are certain guiding principles that the Venice Charter recommends be followed to ensure preservation is effective and non-invasive. Importantly, the charter outlines conditions for restoration and excavation of heritage sites. Often, restoration and excavation can cause extensive damage when carried out by untrained workers or through inadequate methods and technology. Excavation and restoration are required to maintain the authenticity and identifiability of a site and allow these sites to retain their importance and function in society. Upon the request of UNESCO, the UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects was drafted and signed in Rome in 1995. 38 This convention aims to facilitate the settlement of international claims in respect to cultural objects. It is complementary to the 1970 UNESCO convention. According to UNIDROIT, [the] purpose of the Convention is not to enable or trigger a certain number of restitution or returns [of cultural objects] (of which perforce there will be relatively few) through the courts or by private agreement, but to reduce illicit trafficking by gradually, but profoundly, changing the conduct of the actors in the art market and of all buyers. 39 Prior to the UNIDROIT convention, there was no consistent international legal basis on how to settle claims on stolen cultural objects. 36 International Council on Monuments and Sites, International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites (The Venice Charter), 1964. 37 Ibid 38 UNITROIT, https://www.unidroit.org/ 39 Ibid 11

PREVIOUS RESOLUTIONS AND IMPORTANT ACTIONS The destruction of Cultural Heritage in Syria and Iraq in recent years has galvanized international attention and condemnation. UNESCO has rallied strong international support to protect the Cultural Heritage sites in Syria and Iraq, which resulted in the adoption of Resolution 2199 by the Security Council on February 12, 2015. In this resolution, the Security Council unanimously condemns the destruction of Cultural Heritage in Syria and Iraq, outlaws all trade of cultural goods originating in Syria or Iraq to prevent illicit trafficking of such goods, and requests that UNESCO coordinates the efforts in the domain of illicit trafficking, together with Interpol. In addition to the active lobbying for a strong and widely supported resolution on the issue, UNESCO expanded its own efforts in fighting the destruction of Cultural Heritage sites during wars. For example, it collaborates closely with experts from Iraq, Syria and many other countries, along with intergovernmental and non-governmental partners including Interpol, the World Customs Organization, museums, leading auction houses and national governments in surrounding countries, to block black market trade of artifacts from Cultural Heritage sites. By drying out the market for artifacts from Cultural Heritage sites, and therefore removing a potential income source for terrorist organizations or organized crime, UNESCO hopes to deter these groups from removing such artifacts from Cultural Heritage sites. In addition, UNESCO launched the social media campaign #Unite4Heritage in 2015, aimed at raising awareness of the international community to the threat of Cultural Heritage destruction. Particularly in Syria, UNESCO has strengthened its efforts in surveilling the state of Cultural Heritage sites threatened by IS and civil war in Syria. UNESCO has been supported by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) with its UNOSAT program, using satellite technology to assess the damage to World Heritage sites caused in the civil war. 40 In addition, UNESCO has established a regional observatory in Lebanon in order to assess the state of Syria s Cultural Heritage. 41 At the 38th General Conference of UNESCO, it passed a resolution on the Reinforcement of UNESCO s action for the protection of culture and the promotion of cultural pluralism in the event of armed conflict. 42 With this resolution, UNESCO expresses the clear goal to expand its collaboration with other UN bodies as well as other related international organizations, in order to implement measures for rapid intervention in the case of Cultural Heritage destruction. Further to this, UNESCO signed an agreement with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in 2016, in order to undertake joint projects to enhance the protection of cultural heritage in the event of armed conflict. 43 UNESCO aims to receive support from ICRC in collecting information from areas of difficult access. The special status of the ICRC under the Geneva Convention, as well as its impartial nature within the conflicts where it acts, give the ICRC access to regions in conflict zones which other humanitarian organizations are unable to reach. This partnership may, therefore, prove particularly effective both in obtaining information on the status of World Heritage, as well as in raising awareness for the protection of Cultural Heritage during armed conflicts. While a variety of actions have been taken to safeguard cultural heritage in conflict zones, recent events in Syria and Iraq is a stark reminder that there is still much to be done to ensure that all individuals maintain their right to engage with their cultural heritage even in areas with ongoing 40 UNITAR, CHS Syria, http://www.unitar.org/unosat/chs-syria 41 Professor Maamoun Abdul Karim, UNESCO to create an Observatory for the Safeguarding of Syria s Cultural Heritage 42 UNESCO, 38 th session, http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0024/002433/243325e.pdf (page 41f) 43 UNESCO, UNESCO and ICRC partner on the protection of culture heritage in the event of armed conflict 12

armed conflict. It is up to the delegates of this committee to examine the effectiveness of the past actions taken to remedy the issues of safeguarding cultural heritage in conflict zones and formulate new ideas to protect and promote these heritage sites globally. BLOC POSITIONS Since the problem of Cultural Heritage destruction prevails despite the ongoing efforts initiated by UNESCO, further actions are needed. It is particularly vital that UNESCO develops a solution that is backed by the entire international community, and which includes sustainable and effective measures to prevent and effectively respond to the destruction of Cultural Heritage sites. It can be seen from the increasing frequency of incidents where Cultural Heritage is damaged or destroyed, that the measures taken by UNESCO and other UN bodies have not succeeded in preventing the destruction of Cultural Heritage in conflict zones. Therefore, the committee should consider carefully all actions already taken, and come up with new ways in which Cultural Heritage can be protected during armed conflicts. One particular issue, which can be observed is that many actions are not backed by all countries. This can be seen by the fact that many conventions related to the issue are not signed or ratified by a large number of states, despite their membership in UNESCO or their ratification of the Cultural Heritage Convention. Moreover, another trend that can be seen from events in recent years shows the government of the State Party in which a destruction of Cultural Heritage occurs do not have the resources to prevent rebels from destroying Cultural Heritage. Particularly, those countries, such as Syria, Iraq, Nigeria or Mali are engaged in civil wars, in which one or both parties of the conflicts engage in asymmetric warfare, with no respect for international laws governing war crimes, such as the Rome Statute or the Geneva Convention. In Iraq, the government explicitly requested the support of the international community in condemning and preventing the destruction of Cultural Heritage sites in its territory. It is therefore noticeable that in the case when a government cannot follow its obligation to safeguard and preserve Cultural Heritage within its territory, many of the previously described mechanisms and treaties become largely ineffective. The committee should consider how Cultural Heritage in unstable regions can be protected effectively, and how the system of treaties can be expanded such that it remains effective even when the local government is unable to safeguard and preserve local Cultural Heritage. 13

POINTS A RESOLUTION MUST ADDRESS 1. How can Cultural Heritage be protected efficiently? 2. In which way can State Parties prevent the forceful destruction of Cultural Heritage sites? 3. Which forms of international collaboration could support State Parties in case their individual resources are not sufficient for an adequate protection of the sites in their territory? 4. How can the present system of international law be more efficiently used to prevent the destruction of Cultural Heritage sites, or in which way does it need to be expanded to achieve adequate protection? 5. How can archaeological looting and illicit trafficking of artifacts from Cultural Heritage sites be effectively prevented, and how can individuals or organizations engage in such illicit trafficking be effectively prosecuted? 6. Which resources does UNESCO need to build up, as the primary international body in charge of the protection of Cultural Heritage, and which new forms of collaboration on the international scale as well as between State and Non-State actors are required to bolster the protection of Cultural Heritage? 7. How can awareness be increased, or what else could be done, such that even during an armed conflict or war, Cultural Heritage is respected by the war parties? FURTHER READING ASSISTING YOUR RESEARCH UNESCO website https://en.unesco.org/ Information page of UNESCO on the illicit trafficking of cultural property, including recent actions and press releases http://www.unesco.org/new/en/culture/themes/illicit-trafficking-of-cultural-property Information about the ICC case on the destruction of Cultural Heritage in Mali https://www.globalpolicy.org/home/163-general/52814-icc-opens-a-case-for-the-destructionofcultural-heritage-in-mali.html Observatory of Syrian Cultural Heritage https://en.unesco.org/syrian-observatory/ 14

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