10 year anniversary of Iraq invasion and cultural heritage preservation

Today 19 March 2013, marks the 10-year anniversary of the US/UK led invasion of Iraq. The physical and mental scars of the Iraqi people and the damage to their country are of course the most significant effects of this long-term occupation.

Iraq has a very ancient history and is known culturally as the ‘cradle of civilization’. In 2003 the National Museum of Iraq was looted, as well as many other archaeological sites in the days following the invasion. Of course there were many other resources that needed to be protected, such as hospitals and securing intelligence sites. While the looting of the museum was widely publicized, the looting of archaeological sites continues. Unlike the artifacts taken from the National Museum, the archaeological cultural heritage that is being lost cannot be accounted for.

Cultural heritage is under protection by the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, or the Hague Convention. While cultural heritage is often destroyed in conflicts as a result of fighting, it is also targeted to achieve political goals and to affect the cultural and physical memory of communities through the destruction of significant monuments and sites.

The illicit trade in Iraqi antiquities is continuing and has been brushed away with time as a minor issue. During this ten year anniversary, many reflections on the state of war must come to light, and preserving Iraqi heritage is certainly an important issue for the eventual recovery from this war.