Now, with the arrival of the spring, the renewal of the nature and the beginning of the New Year on March 21, we hope for a better year for all of us filled with solidarity, peace and dialogue among nations as is the message of Nowruz. https://en.unesco.org/news/nowruz-message-unesco-tehran-cluster-office

As of 24 February 2022, military forces from the Russian Federation have invaded Ukraine. The International Council of Museums (ICOM) strongly condemns this violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. ICOM is especially concerned about the risks faced by museum professionals as well as the threats to cultural heritage because of this armed […]

Warnings that cultural heritage will be targeted as Ivankiv Historical-Cultural Museum is burned to the ground. Museum workers in neighbouring countries are mobilising to help colleagues in Ukraine amid fears that cultural institutions and their workers will be at particular risk from the Russian invasion. https://www.museumsassociation.org/museums-journal/news/2022/03/museum-community-mobilises-to-help-colleagues-in-ukraine/#

An increase in illegal development and excavations is damaging the structural integrity of the World Heritage Site that has stood for more than 1,000 years. https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/02/10/afghanistans-bamiyan-valley-will-collapse-in-the-next-ten-years

This roundtable is part of the international workshop (“Persian Art: The Shifting of Objects, Images and Ideas in Early 20th Century Central Europe”, 29-30 October 2021), organised by the research project funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) / Lise Meitner Programme (M2428-G25) in collaboration with the Institute of Art History, Faculty of Historical and […]

Mohammad Fahim Rahimi, director of the National Museum of Afghanistan, says he will stay on and help preserve cultural treasure. https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/art/2021/09/15/afghan-museum-chief-on-the-institutes-future-i-was-ready-to-give-my-life-for-it/

Since the annexation in 2014, Russia has been persecuting the Tatar population and appropriating monuments. https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/unesco-russia-crimea A Unesco report released on 10 September on cultural heritage and human rights violations in Crimea asserts that Russia has appropriated thousands of monuments, unlawfully exported and exhibited museum artefacts, conducted unauthorised archeological digs, and subjugated its Muslim population […]

From the Bamiyan Valley to an ancient spiritual centre of Zoroastrianism and Buddhism, former Unesco senior official Francesco Bandarin looks at the embattled country’s most important landmarks. https://www.theartnewspaper.com/analysis/afghanistan-cultural-heritage

Das Nationalmuseum in Kabul und seine einzigartigen Bestände sind erneut in den Händen der Taliban. https://www.wienerzeitung.at/nachrichten/kultur/kunst/2118860-Afghanistans-gefaehrdete-Kulturschaetze.html

The cuneiform tablets and other objects had been held by the Museum of the Bible, founded by the family that owns the Hobby Lobby craft store chain, and by Cornell University.