politics
Ukrainian cathedrals, Gaza’s archives, Iranian squares – modern war is systematically erasing human history
It is not enough now for war to kill, it must eradicate a people’s cherished and precious heritage too
TL;DR
- Modern warfare targets cultural heritage in addition to human lives.
- Ukraine has suffered destruction of 545 historic buildings, including religious sites and museums, due to Russian actions.
- In Iran, historic sites in Isfahan and Tehran have been damaged or destroyed.
- Over 80% of buildings in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, including ancient mosques and churches.
- The archives and museums of Gaza have been lost, with an entire people's past deliberately eradicated.
- Past conflicts saw efforts to protect monuments, but modern aerial warfare, characterized by near-invulnerability of bombers, leads to indiscriminate destruction.
- International bodies like Unesco document these destructions, but their impact is limited.
- Organizations like the World Monuments Fund provide aid to war zones to help preserve cultural heritage.