UNESCO Emergency Response “First-Aid” Heritage Interventions in Syria during Armed Conflict

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This chapter aims to determine the role UNESCO has played in facilitating emergency response “first aid” heritage protection measures during the Syria armed conflict, commencing March 2011. Through document analysis and qualitative data from semi-structured interviews, this study maps UNESCO’s engagement with Syria throughout the ongoing armed conflict and identifies the form the oganisation’s heritage protection initiatives took. Analysis of such heritage protection initiatives showed UNESCO’s interventions in Syria to be majorly technocratic, with minimal on-the-ground implementation of emergency measures. Moreover, due to political gridlock resultant of the standpoints of other Member States, UNESCO was often unable to act in Syria, with lines communications at times, being completely closed. This political gridlock, which is evidenced to paralyse UNESCO, is often shown to result in the organisation overstating its ability to safeguard heritage, with promises not being followed up with action.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationArt Crime in Context : Global Perspective on Art and Heritage Crime
EditorsDonna Yates, Naomi Oosterman
Number of pages17
PublisherSpringer
Publication date2022
Pages197-213
Chapter11
ISBN (Print)9783031140839
ISBN (Electronic)9783031140846
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

ID: 299410372