EU, Greece Respond to UNESCO Warnings over Taliban Threat to Afghanistan Cultural Heritage

In light of UNESCO appeal last week for the preservation of Afghanistan’s cultural heritage following the country’s takeover by the Taliban, Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni informed on Monday that Greece is working along with the European Union on responding to that appeal, Ekathimerini reports.

During the meeting with her former Afghani counterpart, ex-culture minister Omar Sultan, in Athens Mendoni emphasized their efforts to help protect the Kabul’s National Museum of Afghanistan amid concerns for the safety of its artifacts.

She pointed that no one at the moment can guarantee the safety of the thousands of objects at the museum that Greece financed with around 750,000 euros in 2003 to help its restoration and the conservation and exhibition of its valuable artifacts.

UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay underscored on Monday that the preservation of Afghanistan’s cultural heritage has a major significance for the future of the country as an integral part of its history and identity.

She appealed for Afghanistan’s wide range of rich and diverse heritage to be safeguarded, mentioning in the context the UNESCO World Heritage sites of the Minaret, the Archaeological Remains of Jam, the Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley, where UNESCO has been working for several decades, as well as museums.

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