A Statement on Iran's Cultural Heritage

World Monuments Fund considers any threat to cultural heritage sites – in Iran or any other country – to be absolutely unacceptable. From Syria to Afghanistan, Mali to Yemen, we have all witnessed far too many intentional acts of destruction of irreplaceable treasures over the last decades. In each case we have seen how the obliteration of such important places of meaning irrevocably harms not only a country’s people, but humanity in general. To be clear, while the aggressors in such instances believe they are acting against “the other,” in the end, they act against themselves. These sites of cultural heritage are the symbols that shape who we are. They instill pride in villages, countries, and regions. And they inspire future generations.

At WMF, we have dedicated our lives to working with local communities around the world to protect and restore humanity’s treasures. Today we call on people and governments everywhere to stand up for the protection of our shared heritage. We cannot continue to let political differences threaten one of the few things that serve to unite us all – our shared global heritage.