The destruction of heritage sites and cultural institutions

In this seminar, former Australian Human Rights Commissioner and a member of the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, Chris Sidoti and the University of Sydney’s Dr. Ihab Shalbak will discuss the commission’s report into the destruction of heritage sites and cultural institutions in the context of continuing violence in Gaza.

The report analyses the relevance of the protection, and preservation of, Palestinian cultural property to international human rights conventions. It highlights the implications of the destruction of cultural property, and the removal of artefacts, arising from Israeli policies and military conduct, on the Palestinian people’s ability to exercise the right to self-determination.

The seminar is part of an ongoing set of public programs hosted by the Chau Chak Wing Museum, examining challenges around heritage management in conflict zones and offering discussions around practical solutions by global experts.