JULIE DZEROWICZ (Canada) - PRELIMINARY DRAFT SPECIAL REPORT
22 April 2024
Despite enjoying protection under international law, cultural heritage finds itself increasingly under attack in conflicts across the world. Malicious authoritarian States and non-state actors actively seek to weaponize it to pursue their pernicious goals.
This unsettling trend has staggering consequences for both the affected populations and global peace and security. The misappropriation, manipulation, and destruction of cultural heritage in armed conflict constitute an attack on the dignity and identity of communities, and fuel conflict and instability. The protection of cultural heritage in conflict is therefore of moral, legal, and strategic importance for NATO and the Allies.
This draft report outlines the international legal framework protecting cultural heritage and provides an overview of how ill-intentioned actors have increasingly weaponized cultural heritage in recent years. It describes the significant measures undertaken by NATO and the Allies to enhance the protection of cultural heritage in conflict, and it concludes with a set of policy recommendations to further bolster those efforts.
