It was stated that cities become the main target during conflicts and the protection of cultural heritage plays an important role in post-conflict recovery.
Modern.az reports that Lazare Elundu Assomo – Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Center said this during a video message at the discussion titled “Sustainable and Empowering Cultural Revival” organized within the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) held in Baku.
He stated that he is proud to participate in the session held in Baku and that the city is an important cultural center with world heritage status.
According to the UNESCO official, President Ilham Aliyev expressed the idea during the forum that “development is not possible without cultural heritage and environmental protection”, and this approach is of particular importance in terms of the restoration of cities in the post-conflict period.
Lazare Elundu Assomo noted that the panel held is an important platform not only for studying Azerbaijan's experience, but also for supporting the development of conflict-affected cities.
He stated that the “SECURE” model is an important initiative for the integration of cultural heritage into post-conflict recovery:
“UNESCO and the World Bank developed the ‘Cultural Heritage and Urban Regeneration’ – CURE framework in 2018. This methodology envisages the integration of cultural heritage into urban planning and development plans.”
Assomo emphasized that the CURE model provides a practical mechanism for governments and communities in terms of restoring trust, revitalizing the local economy, and strengthening cultural identity:
“I personally participated in the development of this framework.”
The UNESCO official noted that the nature of conflicts has changed in recent decades and cities have now become the main target of wars:
“Many cities included in the UNESCO World Heritage List have faced serious destruction.”
He added that the videos presented clearly show the situation of destroyed cities and communities experiencing severe consequences.
