The value of cultural heritage and its destruction in the Syrian civil war

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Coppi, Pierluigi; Sadowski, Mirosław M. and Bonaviri, Gianluigi Mastandrea and Ceccotti, Filippo, eds. (2025) The value of cultural heritage and its destruction in the Syrian civil war. In: Heritage in War and Peace IV. University of Strathclyde Publishing, Glasgow. ISBN 9781914241802 (https://doi.org/10.17868/strath.00093373)

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Abstract

The paper explores the interconnections between cultural rights and the protection of tangible cultural heritage, emphasizing their importance in the broader human rights framework. After having addressed the specific question regarding what "cultural rights" are through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) of 1966, this paper shows how these rights are undermined during armed conflicts. with the Syrian civil war serving as a case study. The destruction of Syria’s cultural heritage is analysed through the lens of international legal instruments such as the 1954 Hague Convention and the 1972 UNESCO World Heritage Convention, and it is argued that the enforcement mechanisms dependent on national governments are inadequate, particularly in conflict situations involving state collapse and non-state actors. This is clearly showed by the examples of Aleppo and Palmyra, destroyed during the civil war. The paper concludes by proposing the creation of an ad hoc international tribunal to prosecute violations against cultural heritage in Syria, drawing on precedents set by the ICTY and ICC. By reinforcing the supranational framework and enhancing legal accountability, such a tribunal would not only serve justice but also act as a deterrent against future cultural destruction, reaffirming cultural heritage as a shared legacy of humanity.

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