Hello everyone,
The International Council of Museums and Wikimedia Switzerland have started
an initiative to raise awareness of illegal trade of cultural heritage
artefacts and antiquities from Afghanistan.
They are asking people to share images and data, and write Wikipedia
articles about Afghanistan's cultural heritage. Further details, including
how to join, are on meta-wiki:
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_CH/Afghanistan_Antiquities_at_Risk
The threat to tangible heritage is very real and significant. The project
focuses on trafficking, but the situation in Afghanistan reminds me of a
BBC News piece from 2015 explaining why the so-called Islamic State were so
focused on destroying tangible cultural heritage in Syria:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-34112593
These are more than just objects. Heritage sites and artefacts are seen as
a threat as they can be a focus for national identity. They were also
destroyed to provoke an emotional reaction. The factors involved in the
destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan in 2001 are also relevant
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhas_of_Bamiyan#Destruction
While writing about Afghan's cultural heritage and the threats, or sharing
images, it is important to contextualise it with the human context where
possible: what these artefacts mean to the people of Afghanistan. I will be
striving to do that while editing. This project can play an important role
in sharing information and helping mitigate trafficking of antiquities, so
please do take some time to lend a hand.
Kind regards,
Richard Nevell
--
Dr Richard Nevell
Programme Coordinator and Connected Heritage Project Lead
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