The Islamic State group’s wanton destruction of the Temple of Bel, which for thousands of years was where religious life revolved in Palmyra, Syria, was an act that UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova called “an intolerable crime against civilization.”
Since the disturbing incident occurred, international groups have re-emphasized the importance of cultural preservation as a global development pillar. UNESCO, in particular, reaffirmed its commitment “to go on protecting all that which can be saved.”
More than a decade earlier, UNESCO became the first international organization to attempt to stabilize Iraq through the promotion of cultural heritage. In the months following the looting of the Iraq Museum in Baghdad in 2003, the U.N. agency launched a campaign to protect Iraq’s cultural assets, both physical and social.