Unesco

Unesco seeks to improve artists’ protection from censorship and violence

New report finds that, unlike journalists, artists are often "in the dark" about the organisations they can turn to when their rights are threatened

Unesco chief vows to help rebuild Ukraine’s heritage and culture—but $6.9bn investment is needed

Audrey Azoulay met President Zelensky and toured sites in Kyiv, Chernihiv and Odesa during an official visit to the country this week

Booksreview

A globe-trotting guide to contested sites, dubious historical restorations and harrowing heritage destruction

Book "Monumental Lies" is a searching exploration of the truths and untruths embodied in contested heritage

Unesco adds Ukrainian city of Odesa to World Heritage List of endangered sites

The decision "recognises the outstanding universal value of the site and the duty of all humanity to protect it", the UN cultural organisation states

US considers rejoining Unesco despite more than $616m membership debt and Israel-Palestine controversies

America left the United Nations heritage organisation in 2019 after its members voted to accept Palestine as a member state

'Lost in limbo': Taliban’s application for Unesco protection of historic Kabul garden still unanswered after a year

United Nations culture organisation has not acknowledged the January 2022 request to add Afghanistan's Bagh-e Babur to the World Heritage List

How the war in Ukraine reveals the heightened politics of Unesco

Boycotted Russia resigned as chair of the World Heritage Committee last month

Should the world resume co-operating with the Taliban on protecting Afghanistan's heritage?

Conservation projects that have been paused due to sanctions on the new government may restart after Unesco intervention

Getty Trust pledges $1m to help protect Ukrainian cultural heritage

The International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas is partnering with the Getty to save Ukraine’s museums and monuments

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky applies for Unesco World Heritage status for Odesa

The strategic Black Sea port city, home to a famous opera house and controversial Catherine the Great statue, has been the target of Russian bombing

Wildfire on Easter Island causes 'irreparable' damage to ancient moai head statues

The Unesco World Heritage Site is closed while conservators assess the damage to the almost 1,000 ancient statues, while the island's mayor claims the fire was started deliberately

First the Taliban, now local planners—Afghanistan's World Heritage site Bamiyan Valley endangered further

Unesco warns of risks of construction works in the archaeological zone where the Bamiyan Buddha statues were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001

Is Ukraine's cultural heritage under coordinated attack?

Sites are suffering widespread destruction, but a coalition of organisations is working to provide evidence of deliberate targeting by Russian forces

Tom Seymour. with additional reporting by Sophia Kishkovsky

Italy’s 'monuments men' sign deal with Unesco to help protect world's heritage

World-leading heritage protection taskforce known as the 'Blue Helmets' will have close ties with UN agency to operate abroad

Unesco indefinitely postpones planned world heritage meeting in Russia

The 45th annual meeting of the organisation’s World Heritage Committee was due to take place in June in the Russian city of Kazan

Mosulnews

‘Living history’: meet the Mosul residents rebuilding their city

Local trainees are taking up traditional stone masonry techniques as part of a major Unesco initiative to restore heritage houses damaged in the battle to liberate the Iraqi city from Isis

Unesco’s winning designs for Mosul mosque are redrawn

An international restoration plan has been revised after the foundations of an ancient prayer hall were discovered at the site of the Al-Nuri mosque

Unesco under pressure to pull world heritage meeting from Russia

UK culture minister, Auschwitz Memorial and Europa Nostra call for the June event to be relocated following Russian invasion of Ukraine

New concerns for the Bamiyan Valley's future in Taliban hands surface on anniversary of monumental Buddhas' destruction

Evidence of encroaching development, looting and a new coal depot near the site poses major threats to its status—and its future

Unesco 'gravely concerned' about damage to Ukrainian cultural heritage

The UN body is monitoring heritage sites by satellite and plans a meeting with Ukrainian museum directors to safeguard collections

Afghanistan’s Bamiyan Valley will collapse in the next ten years if looting and neglect continue, former Unesco representative warns

An increase in illegal development and excavations is damaging the structural integrity of the World Heritage Site that has stood for more than 1,000 years

Al-Ulanews

Unesco strikes partnership deal with Saudi agency to develop AlUla region's rich heritage

Agreement covers developing archaeological programmes and paves the way for kingdom's ambitious long-term plans to attract tourists to the region

Cop26analysis

'We don’t know when last orders will be called at the last chance saloon': how culture is feeling the climate change heat

Guardians of world’s cultural heritage must mount the parapet and lead in the climate change battle

British Museum should review its position on the Parthenon Marbles, Unesco body says

Greece's culture minister says the issue is of intergovernmental nature rather than a matter for the British Museum

Looted Gilgamesh tablet returned to Iraq

The ancient cuneiform, once fated to be displayed at the Museum of the Bible, was sold by Christie’s for $1.7m to the owners of the arts and crafts chain Hobby Lobby

Unesco report reveals extent of Russian threat to Crimean heritage

Since the annexation in 2014, Russia has been persecuting the Tatar population and appropriating monuments

Unesco calls for Afghanistan’s heritage to be protected—but how will it seek enforcement?

UK government agrees that new regime must "safeguard the full diversity of Afghan culture"

Sacred rock-hewn churches at risk as rebel forces take control of Ethiopia's Unesco World Heritage Site Lalibela

Historic town, a holy site for millions of Orthodox Christians, caught up in widening Tigray conflict

Controversial Stonehenge tunnel is unlawful, High Court rules

Judge concludes that UK transport secretary failed to consider alternatives to the scheme or assessed the ‘risk of harm’ to the Unesco site