Preserving Lebanon’s Identity: Beyond the 34 Cultural Sites Under Enhanced Protection

A Joint Statement by Cultural Emergency Response (CER) and NGO Biladi, Coordinators of the CER Regional Hub in the Levant, on Continuing to Mobilise International Support for Locally-Led Efforts to Protect Cultural Heritage in Lebanon & in the Wider Arab Region

Earlier this month, we issued a statement in collaboration with NGO Biladi, the CER Regional Hub in the Levant, calling for international support to protect Lebanon’s heritage under threat.

Since then, a ceasefire has been declared, and UNESCO, at the request of the Lebanese government, has granted enhanced protection to 34 cultural sites, including the World Heritage sites of Baalbek and Tyre. This UNESCO action represents a vital step toward safeguarding Lebanon’s heritage amidst heightened risks of destruction. Breaching this protection constitutes a serious violation of the 1954 Hague Convention and could lead to prosecution.

While the enhanced protection list is an important development, it is only one part of the solution.

Lebanon’s cultural heritage extends far beyond these 34 sites, encompassing museums, cultural institutions, urban spaces, and other heritage spaces vital to communities’ identities and cultural continuity. They remain vulnerable and require urgent action.

Recognising this critical moment, we reiterate the need for the international community to take coordinated and immediate action to safeguard Lebanon’s cultural heritage in its entirety. As stated in our original call to action, we propose the following need-based measures expressed by Lebanese partners on the ground:

1. Adherence to the 1954 Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.
2. International cooperation and support to stop the destruction of cultural heritage.
3. Protection of museums, collection storage facilities, cultural institutions, and other heritage spaces crucial to the cultural continuity of communities.

These actions are crucial to safeguarding Lebanon's heritage—both recognised and unrecognised—before it is too late.

We call on partners, supporters, and the international community to act now. Share this message to help mobilise international support for Lebanese cultural heritage.

We remain committed to supporting locally-led efforts in Lebanon, Palestine, and across the wider Arab region.