Key facts
- UNESCO officials are calling for an urgent global awakening to protect heritage sites.
- The threats include climate change, extreme weather, natural disasters, and armed conflicts.
- Officials emphasized the need for preventive measures over post-disaster repairs.
- The "Busan Declaration on World Heritage" was adopted, calling for stronger international cooperation.
Top officials from UNESCO have urged an immediate global awakening and collective action to protect the world's cultural and natural heritage from the growing threats posed by climate change and armed conflicts. Speaking at a press conference in Busan, South Korea, the host city for the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture Nayef Al-Fayez highlighted the responsibility of the global community to address the destruction of heritage sites.
Al-Fayez stressed the importance of prioritizing preventive measures over post-disaster repairs, noting that while physical damage can sometimes be rectified, the psychological impact on affected societies is often irreparable. He stated that protecting these sites is a collective effort involving governments, local residents, and visitors.
Lazare Eloundou Assomo, director of the UNESCO World Heritage Center, echoed the urgency, describing the current strain on global heritage as unprecedented. He cited interconnected threats such as increasingly extreme weather events, natural disasters, deliberate attacks, and mounting human pressures. Assomo emphasized that the Busan meeting is crucial for shaping the international community's stance on these complex issues and must serve as a catalyst for renewed commitment to heritage protection.
Earlier in the day, the World Heritage Committee unanimously adopted the "Busan Declaration on World Heritage," which calls for enhanced international cooperation to combat the escalating threats to cultural and natural heritage worldwide. Assomo characterized the declaration as a strong message reinforcing the need to protect and strengthen heritage preservation efforts.