Since the Middle East war started on 28 February, several sites of major cultural significance have come under attack in Israel, Iran and Lebanon. Ensuring their protection is the task of the UN agency for education, science and culture, UNESCO.
At the request of the Lebanese Government, UNESCO placed 39 World Heritage sites in the country under so-called "enhanced protection".
But what is "enhanced protection" and what can the UN agency do to help in times of war? To help answer these questions, UN News spoke to Krista Pikkat, Director of Culture and Emergencies Entity at UNESCO.
Living heritage under threat
UNESCO has repeatedly warned about the impact of the hostilities on the region's very rich and diverse cultural heritage. Since the outbreak of the war, UNESCO has received reports of damage to more than 20 different cultural sites, including World Heritage Sites and others of national importance.
"We verify the reports that we receive from different sources either through satellite images by analyzing the before and after images, or through on-site inspections," explained Ms. Pikkat.
UNESCO has now confirmed damage to five cultural properties in the region, including a synagogue, the Golestan palace, the Sa'dabad palace and the old Senat palace - all in Iran - along with Tyre in Lebanon, where UNESCO has confirmed damage. "It's the living heritage of the communities that is under threat," Ms. Pikkat stressed.
