Dear Colleagues,

 

The Association of National Committees of the Blue Shield (ANCBS)  
expresses its concern about the armed conflict in Georgia which has  
inflicted not only human losses and suffering but also destruction of  
the physical environment and possibly of cultural heritage in the  
area. 

 

This region has an exceptionally complex and rich cultural  
heritage and it is imperative that all parties in the conflict take  
whatever precautions may be necessary to avoid destruction or damage  
to cultural heritage such as historical monuments, museums, archives  
or libraries. 

 

The Blue Shield organizations work to uphold the 1954 Hague  
Convention which aims at protecting cultural heritage from  
destruction in armed conflicts. Both Georgia and Russia are State  
Parties to the Convention and its First Protocol and are obliged to  
implement its obligations. 

 

The ANCBS calls upon the organizations behind the Blue Shield  
network, covering cultural heritage sectors such as museums,  
libraries, archives and archaeological sites and monuments, to make  
use of their respective contacts with organizations in Georgia and  
Russia in order to obtain information about possible damage to  
cultural heritage and what assistance may be needed from the  
international community in this tragic situation. 

 

 

Leif Pareli 
Chairman, ANCBS working group 
[log in to unmask] 

 

 


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