UNESCO

Protecting our Heritage and Fostering Creativity
Culture is particularly at risk during armed conflict, targeted for its role as a symbol of identity and
belonging. Throughout 2015, the world witnessed increasingly violent manifestations of cultural
cleansing – a phenomenon which includes not only attacks against cultural heritage, but also against
minorities and their cultural expressions. In the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere, World Heritage
properties, museums and other historic sites faced destruction and looting, contributing to the growing
illicit trafficking of cultural property. UNESCO met these challenges with swift action, launching the Global
Coalition ‘Unite for Heritage‘, establishing the Heritage Emergency Fund, implementing UN Security
Council Resolution 2199 with strategic partners, and working to raise awareness among the general
public through the #Unite4Heritage Campaign. Thus, in its response to cultural cleansing, UNESCO has
continued to prove its commitment to protecting humanity’s heritage and safeguarding its creativity.
52
Heritage in danger
Mali: From destruction
to reconstruction
Between 2012 and 2013, Mali’s cultural
heritage suffered severe damage,
particularly in Timbuktu, where
many valuable ancient manuscripts
were burned or stolen, and 14 of its
16 mausoleums of saints were destroyed
by armed violent extremist groups.
Yet 2015 was a year of renewal for
Mali’s cultural heritage. In January, an
international conference on the ‘Ancient
Manuscripts of Mali‘ brought a panel of
scientists and experts together to discuss
the conservation and presentation of
these historic treasures.
New conservation guidelines for traditional courtyard houses
The Ancient City of Ping Yao (People’s Republic of China) is an exceptionally well-preserved city founded in the 14th century,
and since then its traditional courtyard houses have remained in continuous use. It was inscribed on the World Heritage List
in 1997, but economic development is now threatening
its authenticity and integrity. The Ping Yao County
Government and UNESCO published two sets of guidelines
designed to steer its development and conservation.
The Conservation Management Guidelines provide local
authorities with clear approaches for conservation,
restoration and maintenance of the traditional courtyard
houses, in order to maintain their integrity and
authenticity when adapting them to meet contemporary
living standards. Practical Conservation Guidelines is a
simplified version written to provide local residents with a
better understanding of the requirements and standards.
To reconstruct the destroyed
mausoleums, the Government of Mali
turned to outside financial and technical
partners, through a programme
coordinated by UNESCO. The oldest
of the mausoleums date back to the
13th century and rebuilding them using
traditional methods represented a
large technical challenge. Yet in July,
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova
inaugurated the rebuilt mausoleums,
three years after their destruction.
She paid tribute to the inhabitants
and masons of Timbuktu, saying,
‘Your endeavour to safeguard essential
elements of your history is proof of
Mali’s recovery, rallying and regained
confidence.‘ The Mayor of Timbuktu
responded that ‘Through me, the
communities of the city of 333 saints
express their gratitude to UNESCO.‘
On 18 July, UNESCO Director-General
Irina Bokova praised the people of
Timbuktu for their efforts to rebuild
the city’s mausoleums damaged by severe
destruction between 2012 and 2013.