Rabat – Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Omar Hilale, called, here Tuesday, for universalizing the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its Protocols.
“The international community will benefit from adopting such a global, holistic and integrated approach,” in order to better protect cultural heritage in times of humanitarian crises, Hilale said at an international colloquium themed “Protecting Cultural Heritage During Humanitarian Crises and the Efficiency Issue”.
In this regard, he called for promoting intercultural dialogue, strengthening international cooperation, raising awareness among local populations on the importance of preserving cultural heritage, and planning training sessions for humanitarian stakeholders.
During his presentation focused on the “UN role in protecting cultural goods during humanitarian crises,” the Kingdom’s Permanent Representative to the UN stated that “member States must devise efficient national legislation to implement the 1954 Hague Convention and its protocols so that, in the event of conflict, their armies will make sure that they respect their obligations under this Convention.”
« The UN should establish clear and precise guidelines for peacekeeping operations to integrate cultural heritage into their missions, including protocols for the protection, documentation and prevention of damage to cultural heritage, » he added.
Hilale also highlighted the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in monitoring cultural sites in real time, using historical data to draw up future risk prevention plans, in particular by spotting anomalies and preventing damage.
« AI can also contribute to preserving history and transmitting it to future generations, through the documentation of data and the generation of virtual sites, » he continued.
In this regard, Hilale noted that Morocco is working tirelessly to preserve the world’s cultural heritage, recalling the Kingdom’s ratification of all UNESCO Conventions on the protection and preservation of cultural heritage.
Initiated in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, the colloquium is part of the international community’s commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the 1954 adoption of The Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.
