New Frontiers in the Protection of Cultural Heritage

Much has changed since the pioneering fight of the “monuments men” to preserve cultural property from the Nazi onslaught.  While the World War II campaign focused on discrete artifacts such as paintings or sculptures, recent preservation efforts have viewed entire sites as cultural property, whether for historical, religious or archaeological reasons. Subsequent legal conventions (The Hague 1954; UNESCO 1970; UNIDROIT 1995), have given the effort to preserve cultural property new tools and new vigor. At the same time, attacks on cultural property—led by non-state actors and motivated by religious intolerance, national chauvinism or greed—have become fiercer, with some insurgent groups attempting to obliterate places of national importance in an effort to re-write cultural history. Taking into account the perspectives of art, archaeology, history, law and the military, how must preservation efforts change in response to armed conflict in the twenty-first century?

A cocktail reception open to pre-registered guests follows the panel discussion.

Guests will also be invited, on a limited space basis, to preview Cultures in the Crossfire: Stories from Syria and Iraq.  Created in conjunction with the Museum’s Penn Cultural Heritage Center, this new Penn Museum exhibition sheds light on the ongoing destruction of cultural heritage in the Middle East by showing what’s at stake—the rich history of the region and the diversity of its people—and what’s being done to prevent the loss of this history and cultural identity. Cultures in the Crossfire opens to the public Saturday April 8.

3:30pm to 5:00pm Preview Cultures in the Crossfire: Stories from Syria and Iraq (limited space available)

5:00pm to 6:30pm Keynote Program

6:30 pm to 7:30pm Cocktail Reception(open to all registered guests)  and Preview Cultures in the Crossfire: Stories from Syria and Iraq (limited space available)