Both Ukraine and several countries and territories in the Middle East (Iran, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine and the Gulf States) are today suffering under intense armed conflict. Countless civilians and military personnel are losing their lives, while their homes, infrastructure and utilities are being relentlessly destroyed.
In situations of armed conflict, international humanitarian law applies. Since its founding in 1863, the International Red Cross has been the guardian of humanitarian law in war, as it pertains to both military personnel and civilians. It draws on the Geneva Conventions of 1864 and 1949, which define the rights and duties of individuals in times of war, protecting civilians from acts of violence and guaranteeing prisoners of war a number of basic rights.
The provisions of the Geneva Conventions protect persons; goods, and cultural property in particular, are not covered. For this reason, the Hague Convention was signed in 1954. States that ratify this convention are obliged to maintain and protect their cultural heritage in peacetime. In times of armed conflict, they commit to, among other things, refraining from using cultural heritage for military purposes, avoiding the placement of military installations in the immediate vicinity of cultural property, and ensuring that cultural heritage is protected and respected during military operations and that access to it remains guaranteed. Under this convention, cultural property includes not only immovable heritage such as buildings and monuments, but also collections held in museums, libraries and archives, as well as archaeological sites.
In 1996, the International Committee of the Blue Shield (now known simply as “The Blue Shield”) was established. The aim of the Blue Shield is to protect heritage in the event of armed conflict, natural disasters, or man-made catastrophes such as fire, theft or terrorism. In this sense, the Blue Shield’s commitment to heritage can be compared to that of the International Red Cross on behalf of people in need and in conflict situations.
There are currently 34 national Blue Shield committees active worldwide. They focus primarily on raising awareness around disaster prevention, organising training sessions and study days, and providing specialised volunteers for first response and aftercare in the event of disasters. The Belgian committee began its work in 1997 and has been a non-profit association since 2000 (https://www.blueshieldbelgium.be). The organisation’s name derives from the blue and white shield used as an identifying emblem on heritage sites that are afforded protection under the laws of war.
On 4 March 2026, the United States Committee of the Blue Shield (USCBS) issued a statement expressing its deep regret over the loss of human life, particularly among the civilian population, in the wake of the American-Israeli attack on Iran.
In the same statement, the USCBS also expressed serious concern about the fate of Iran’s cultural heritage, a number of whose sites are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The USCBS specifically highlighted the severe damage sustained by the Golestan Palace (recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013) on 2 March 2026 as a result of bombardments on Tehran. In its statement of 4 March, the USCBS called upon the American government, the Israeli armed forces and all parties involved to honour the obligations set out in the Hague Convention and its two accompanying protocols, and to take immediate, concrete steps to identify and protect cultural heritage sites throughout the region.
It has since also come to light that Iranian rockets destroyed parts of the so-called White City (Bauhaus-style housing, UNESCO World Heritage Site) in Tel Aviv, Israel. In Lebanon, Beirut is under Israeli fire and archaeological sites such as Tyre (in southern Lebanon, UNESCO World Heritage Site) are at great risk. In Isfahan, Iran, the Chehel Sotoun Palace and its historic gardens, buildings on the 17th-century Naqsh-e Jahan Square (Meidan Emam) and the 17th-century Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, all three recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, have been struck by air raids. Serious damage to significant historic buildings has also been reported in other parts of Iran (The Art Newspaper, 10 March 2026).
The Belgian Blue Shield Committee endorses the statement and appeal of its American counterpart, the USCBS, as well as the similar statements issued by UNESCO (UNESCO statements of 8 and 10 March 2026), the International Blue Shield, the International Council of Museums (ICOM), and Europa Nostra (The Hague–Brussels, 11 March 2026), regarding the protection of cultural heritage currently threatened and affected by the war in the Middle East.
No political or military objective justifies the destruction of cultural heritage. Heritage connects people to one another and defines the identity of a community. Those who deliberately destroy cultural heritage are, under international law, committing a war crime. The international community has a moral duty to protect cultural property from destruction, wherever in the world it may be threatened.
Em. Prof. Dr. Gustaaf JANSSENS
Chairman of the Belgian Committee of the Blue Shield – Blue Shield Belgium
