UNESCO grants ‘enhanced protection’ to cultural heritage sites in the Middle East

By Nancy Sarkis

17 April 2026 Culture and Education

Since the Middle East war started on 28 February, several sites of major cultural significance have come under attack in Israel, Iran and Lebanon. Ensuring their protection is the task of the UN agency for education, science and culture, UNESCO.

At the request of the Lebanese Government, UNESCO placed 39 World Heritage sites in the country under so-called “enhanced protection”.

But what is “enhanced protection” and what can the UN agency do to help in times of war? To help answer these questions, UN News spoke to Krista Pikkat, Director of Culture and Emergencies Entity at UNESCO.

Living heritage under threat

UNESCO has repeatedly warned about the impact of the hostilities on the region’s very rich and diverse cultural heritage.…