Monthly archive March, 2018

Cultural heritage and the Security Council: Why Resolution 2347 matters

1. Introductory remarks Having determined, in accordance with Article 39 of the UN Charter, that the ‘unlawful destruction of cultural heritage, and the looting and smuggling of cultural property in the event of armed conflicts’ constitute a threat to international peace and security, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2347 on 24 March 2017,...

Resolution 2347: Mainstreaming the protection of cultural heritage at the global level

1. Introduction The UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution 2347[1] has been widely lauded as ‘a historic milestone’ in the international struggle to safeguard endangered heritage,[2] reflecting a growing awareness of the importance of heritage protection for global security.[3] Indeed, this is the first resolution ever adopted by the UNSC focusing exclusively on the protection of...

The Evolving Role of the United Nations Security Council and the Protection of Cultural Heritage in the Event of Armed Conflict

Introduced by Sabrina Urbinati   On 24 March 2017, the United Nations Security Council (SC) adopted Resolution 2347 (2017)[1] (Resolution 2347). This Resolution concerns the protection of cultural heritage in the event of armed conflict and is intended to react to the hateful damage, destruction, smuggling, looting and illicit trafficking of cultural property to which...