Leptis Magna, Libya
Photo: © UNESCO/F. Bandarin
UNESCO asks to protect Libya’s cultural heritage Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, urged to protect the country’s cultural heritage through period of transition, offering UNESCO’s assistance in defending Libya’s five World Heritage sites]]>
August 26 2011, source: UNESCO / theartwolf
“The heritage of a nation is essential to the ability of its citizens to preserve their identity and self-esteem”, Bokova said, stating that theft, looting, and the illicit trafficking of cultural property are against the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property.
“Experience shows that there is a serious danger of destruction during times of social upheaval“, added the Director-General. “Careless dealers who buy these objects [from the archaeological sites] are in fact inciting more looting“.
There are currently five Lybian properties inscribed on the World Heritage List: the Archaeological Site of Cyrene (inscribed in 1982), the Site of Leptis Magna (inscribed in 1982), Site of Sabratha (inscribed in 1982), the Rock-Art Sites of Tadrart Acacus (inscribed in 1985), and the Old Town of Ghadamès (inscribed in 1986).
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