Global Heritage Fund, an advocate for community-driven heritage preservation, condemns the intentional destruction of cultural heritage, specifically including the recent threats to Iranian sites. GHF believes in the preservation of built and living cultural heritage and their contribution to intercultural understanding and tolerance. We call upon global leaders to respect international agreements and protect cultural heritage throughout the world.
Cultural heritage should not be used to divide us from each other. In fact, it is a unifying element, tying together people of all races, nations, and creeds. The history of all civilizations is the heritage of all the people of the world. The outstanding value of cultural heritage – and its ability to foster intercultural dialogue – is a core principle of multiple international agreements that prohibit the intentional destruction of cultural heritage. Nations came together in times of war to write the 1907 Hague Convention, the 1949 Geneva Convention Protocol, the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, and the 1972 World Heritage Convention.
Every cultural site, whether in Iran or in the United States, is part of the history of the world and worthy of protection. When cultural heritage is properly valued, it becomes a key to local, sustainable development, lifting communities out of poverty. It encourages meaningful dialogue around global issues that impact all members of society. A bedrock of self-understanding and of a sense of place in the history of our world it fosters peace through mutual respect. Cultural heritage serves as a recognizable pillar of international security and development.
Cultural heritage and its many benefits to the world are threatened by the recent worsening of relations between the United States and Iran. Global Heritage Fund calls on all parties to this conflict to disavow any intentional targeting of cultural heritage sites and respect the current international agreements.