WEEKLY REPORT 41
May 19, 2015
U. S. Dept. Cooperation Agreement Number: NEA-PSHSS-14-001
BY Michael D. Danti, Cheikhmous Ali, Tate Paulette, Kathryn Franklin, Allison Cuneo, LeeAnn Barnes Gordon, and David Elitzer
DOWNLOAD: REPORT
* This report is based on research conducted by the “Safeguarding the Heritage of the Near East Initiative,” funded by the US Department of State. Monthly reports reflect reporting from a variety of sources and may contain unverified material. As such, they should be treated as preliminary and subject to change.
Executive Summary
During the reporting period, the key areas of concern for cultural heritage in the conflict zone were the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Palmyra (Tadmor) and ongoing damage to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Ancient City of Aleppo. At the time of the writing of this executive summary, the town of Tadmor and the archaeological site of Palmyra are reportedly under the control of ISIL following a rapid military advance on the town, and cultural heritage in the region is at extreme risk for theft, damage, and destruction. Events in Tadmor continue to evolve rapidly. Another key concern is the status of cultural heritage and cultural infrastructure in the area of Ramadi, Iraq, recently captured by ISIL. Little information is forthcoming regarding the status of heritage sites in this region. ASOR CHI continues to document the extensive heritage damage in Iraq’s Ninawa Governorate (see IHI Incident Reports included in this report).
Key points from this report:
- ISIL now controls the Syrian town of Tadmor and the UNESCO World Heritage Site Ancient City of Palmyra. (pp. 8, 29–37)
- ISIL now controls the provincial capital city of Ramadi in Iraq. The status of heritage in this area is difficult to ascertain at the present time. (p. 10)
- Ten countries in the Middle East and North Africa (Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates) have announced the Cairo Declaration, a regional action plan designed to stop the illicit looting and trafficking of antiquities. The declaration was announced following an emergency ministerial summit held in Cairo and co-hosted by the Antiquities Coalition and the Middle East Institute. (p. 5)