American Journal of Archaeology

105.3

The Afghan Cultural Heritage Crisis: UNESCO's Response to the Destruction of Statues in Afghanistan

Christian Manhart

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Editor-in-Chief's Note:
The decision on 26 February 2001 by the Taliban to destroy all statues in Afghanistan was a tragic event, and one deserving of widespread condemnation. In an effort to inform readers of the actions taken by the international community in response to the Taliban's actions, I invited Christian Manhart (program specialist for Asia, UNESCO Division of Cultural Heritage) to report on the response and subsequent steps taken by UNESCO to deal with this threat to Afghanistan's cultural heritage. The following is his report.

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