A newly identified sculpture in Easter Island found in a dried wetland intrigues researchers studying the Rapa Nui society.
UNESCO
Ukraine’s Cultural Heritage Is Crumbling as Russian Forces Bomb Historical Sites
UNESCO has confirmed 53 partially or completely demolished sites so far, while the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation counts over 150, including monuments.
International Court of Justice Rules Azerbaijan Must Stop Destroying Armenian Cultural Heritage in Artsakh
The ruling points to major implications for protection of all cultural heritage during peacetime.
1,500-year-old Archway Partially Collapses in Iraq, Prompting Urgent Calls for Help
The director of the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage said the Taq Kasra is in “dangerous and critical” condition and needs immediate support to prevent further collapse.
Ukraine Wants to Designate Chernobyl a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The site of the worst nuclear disaster in history has become a tourist attraction, in part due to the 2019 TV mini-series “Chernobyl.”
Who Really Owns Hagia Sophia?
As the Turkish government announced that the Hagia Sophia will be converted back into a mosque, one of the primary responses worldwide has been to assert that the edifice constitutes “universal” heritage, that it belongs to all of us.
After 85 Years as a Museum, the Hagia Sophia Will Become a Mosque
Art historians and conservationists worry Turkish authorities might remove the centuries-old Byzantine mosaics that adorn it.
13% of Museums Worldwide May Close Permanently Due to COVID-19, Studies Say
Released jointly, two studies by UNESCO and the International Council of Museums (ICOM) also say that nearly 90% of the world’s 95,000 museums have temporarily closed during the pandemic.
Virtually Tour World Heritage Sites
April 18 marks World Heritage Day. Visit UNESCO World Heritage sites like the Taj Mahal Stonehenge through Google Earth.
This Year’s UNESCO Session Was an Insult to World Heritage
Djulfa, a sacred site for Armenian Christians, is disqualified from consideration because the host of this year’s UNESCO World Heritage Committee session, the government of Azerbaijan, has erased its existence and destroyed tens of thousands of Armenian cultural monuments.
A Regime Conceals Its Erasure of Indigenous Armenian Culture
A groundbreaking forensic report tracks Azerbaijan’s recent destruction of 89 medieval churches, 5,840 intricate cross-stones, and 22,000 tombstones.
Who Controls Cultural Heritage?
Countries and cities often boast of having a UNESCO World Heritage tag. But how successful has UNESCO been in the domain of heritage and culture?