New Online Resource Illustrates the Impact of Armed Conflict and Terrorism on Heritage in the Middle East and North Africa
November 24, 2015
#CultureUnderThreat: Before and After
With the rise of a violent campaign targeting the Middle East and North Africa’s people and their heritage — by religious extremists from Ansar Dine in Mali, to ISIS in Iraq and Syria, to the Al Qaeda insurgency in Yemen — the fight against cultural cleansing and racketeering is more important than ever. The human toll from these conflicts is beyond measure. There is likewise no way to adequately measure recent losses to our shared history, but in this case, a picture may be worth a thousand words.
In a new online resource, #Culture Under Threat: Before and After, the Antiquities Coalition pays tribute to heritage lost in the region since the 2011 Arab Spring. By illustrating iconic masterpieces and sites then and now — before and after this period of turmoil, terrorism, and outright war — we hope to begin to convey the enormity of the ongoing crisis. For while much has been lost, much still remains to be saved.