Beirut: Lebanon is using every available legal and diplomatic avenue to protect its cultural heritage from the impact of Israeli attacks, Culture Minister Ghassan Salameh said during a parliamentary meeting on safeguarding the country's historical sites.
According to National News Agency - Lebanon, Salameh addressed the Parliamentary Committee for the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Plan, emphasizing that protecting Lebanon's collective memory is a top priority for the Ministry of Culture. He highlighted that archaeological sites in southern Lebanon have been a primary concern since the escalation began on March 2.
"We have used every legal and diplomatic tool available to protect the archaeological sites in southern Lebanon," Salameh stated. He noted that while neither the Ministry of Culture nor UNESCO has a military force to defend these sites, their measures have significantly mitigated potential damage. He added that the sites would have faced far greater harm if targeted directly despite their diplomatic efforts.
Salameh announced that Lebanon successfully secured UNESCO approval to increase the number of sites under its Enhanced Protection mechanism from 39 to 79. This decision followed an emergency committee meeting that unanimously approved Lebanon's request.
Furthermore, Lebanon has formally requested UNESCO to list the ancient city of Tyre as a World Heritage site in Danger due to ongoing conflict risks. Additionally, the government has appealed to UNESCO's World Heritage Committee to inscribe five historic castles in Jabal Amel-Chamaa, Beaufort (Al-Shqif), Shaqra, Tebnine, and Deir Kifa on the World Heritage List. The committee is expected to review the request during its meeting in South Korea on July 17.
The Culture Minister also submitted a detailed report on heritage site damage to Foreign Minister Tarek Mitri. This report included a section on cultural heritage incorporated into Lebanon's submission to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Salameh acknowledged several heritage sites have sustained damage. At the shrine of Chamaa, three domes collapsed, with a fourth at risk. Concerns over Beaufort Castle arose after the Israeli military claimed nearby tunnels existed, prompting a diplomatic effort to clarify that these tunnels are over 700 meters away from the fortress.
He further reported that archaeological sites in Tyre and Baalbek have suffered structural impacts from nearby explosions, including collapsed sections of ancient columns. He stressed that assessing the full extent of the damage will require specialized technical evaluations.
The Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the Directorate General of Antiquities and approximately 30 site guards in Tyre, has been documenting damage through field inspections, satellite imagery, and residents' testimonies in preparation for future restoration efforts.
In conclusion, Salameh emphasized that Lebanon's cultural heritage encompasses more than major archaeological sites. It includes historic homes, traditional markets, public libraries, and cultural institutions. He noted the destruction of public libraries in Bint Jbeil and Taybeh and announced a three-year UNESCO-supported initiative to transform Lebanon's public libraries into multifunctional cultural centers, each equipped with at least 10,000 books and five computers.