This archive report was first published on 20 August 2021.
August 20, 2021, marked a significant moment in the wake of the Taliban's takeover of Kabul. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) issued a statement urging the protection of Afghanistan's cultural heritage.
Home to two UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the Bamiyan Valley, Afghanistan boasts a rich cultural landscape. The Bamiyan Valley, in particular, holds a poignant history, as the Taliban destroyed two giant Buddha statues in 2001.
"Amid the rapidly unfolding events, and 20 years after the deliberate destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas, a World Heritage site, Unesco Director General Audrey Azoulay calls for the preservation of Afghanistan's cultural heritage," UNESCO said in a statement.
UNESCO emphasized the importance of safeguarding Afghanistan's cultural sites, which are an integral part of the country's history and identity, and of significance to humanity as a whole.
