Protecting the Past Amid conflict - ICOMOS' role in monitoring, assessing, and responding to Heritage damage

How can we protect the past amid conflict, and what responsibility does this place on us as archaeologists, architects, heritage professionals and international institutions? Conflict endangers not only lives and infrastructure, but also the very foundations of cultural identity. Archaeological sites, which are irreplaceable testimonies of human history, are often among the most vulnerable. The scale of loss across recent conflicts has been profound. In Ukraine, for example, entire archaeological landscapes have been scarred by bombardment and occupation. In Palestine, millennia-old archaeological strata are repeatedly threatened by destruction, restricted access and the erosion of custodial capacity. In Lebanon, the current conflict poses a severe threat to the archaeological heritage. The ongoing civil war in Sudan has halted preservation work, leaving ancient royal pyramids vulnerable to looting, vandalism, and unmanaged environmental degradation. This ranges from direct damage and destruction to an increased erosion of protection systems that were already, in many cases under considerable strain. 
These examples serve as a reminder that the destruction of heritage is never an isolated event; it has far-reaching consequences for communities, identities, and the continuity of cultural memory. These losses are not abstract. They symbolise the broken links in the long chain of human memory.
This is where ICOMOS’ role becomes indispensable. Across its global network, ICOMOS mobilises archaeologists, architectural historians, conservation partitioners, and local experts to monitor heritage at risk. Through satellite analysis, field reporting, and community based observation, we are documenting damage in real time—creating evidence that is essential for accountability, advocacy, and future recovery. But monitoring is only the beginning. ICOMOS’ assessment work brings archaeological expertise to the forefront. Our experts evaluate the nature and significance of damage: Was a stratigraphic layer disturbed? Has a tell, a necropolis, or a historic urban fabric suffered irreversible loss? What does destruction mean for the interpretation of a site, for its communities, and for the broader historical narrative? These assessments ensure that archaeological heritage is not treated as collateral damage, but as a critical dimension of humanitarian and cultural impact. Finally, ICOMOS’ response is grounded in technical guidance and capacity building. 
From advocacy to emergency stabilisation, to risk mitigation and training programmes, the aim is to empower local professionals and strengthen resilience. In Lebanon, monitoring has been closely tied to advocacy work, where ICOMOS and its partners have repeatedly called for stronger legal protection, emergency safeguarding measures, and international support for endangered archaeological sites. While in Ukraine advocacy and technical support have worked hand-in-hand to promote better protection frameworks and raise international awareness of heritage at risk.
We support emergency stabilisation of sites, advise on risk mitigation, and help local professionals strengthen documentation and crisis preparedness skills. In conflict zones, this work is often carried out under immense pressure, yet it remains essential for safeguarding what can still be saved—and for preparing the ground for eventual recovery.
Protecting archaeological heritage amid conflict is not only a technical task; it is a moral obligation. When we defend the traces of past civilisations, we defend the dignity, identity, and resilience of present communities.