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The Director-General of UNESCO condemns airstrikes damaging the Maarrat al Numaan Museum in Syria
On 15 June 2015, the Maarrat al Numaan Museum in Idlib province, Syria, was hit by airstrikes.
鈥淚 am profoundly distressed by the damage inflicted on the Maarrat al Numaan Museum. 鈥淭his Ottoman caravanserai preserves valuable artefacts from the ancient villages of northern Syria, a serial UNESCO World Heritage site of the late Roman and Byzantine periods鈥 said the Director-General.
Most of the mosaics collection survived the air strike thanks to sandbagging and other risk-mitigation measures carried out. However, serious damage was sustained by the mosaics and artefacts displayed on the outer loggias of the building, as well as part of the museum鈥檚 library.
鈥淚 reiterate my appeal to all parties to respect and protect cultural heritage in Syria, where destruction has already reached a devastating scale鈥, declared the Director General. 鈥淭his heritage is a testimony of the Syrian people鈥檚 invaluable contribution to our civilization, and the cultural diversity that nourishes our common history. We all share the responsibility of its protection and transmission to future generations鈥, she added.
Since the beginning of the conflict in Syria, cultural heritage has suffered unprecedented damage. Syria鈥檚 six World Heritage sites -- including the Ancient City of Aleppo --, its eleven sites inscribed on the World Heritage Tentative List, and many places of cultural significance have been damaged. A large number of Syria鈥檚 archaeological sites have been illegally excavated and looted.
