Baghdad Minister of Foreign Affairs Fouad Hussein chaired the meeting of the Forum of Ancient Civilizations, on the sidelines of the 77th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, at the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Iraq in New York, in the presence of representatives of member states of the Forum of Ancient Civilizations (China, Bolivia, Egypt, Greece, Iran, Italy and Peru).
The attendees emphasized that the world is witnessing multifaceted and multi-level challenges, and therefore cultural and civilizational dialogue is a fundamental pillar in promoting world peace and achieving sustainable development, and it is necessary to take the necessary measures to protect the natural and cultural heritage from negative effects. They called on the international community to promote equality, mutual education and dialogue between civilizations, and stressing the importance of all initiatives aimed at promoting dialogue among civilizations, in particular the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC).
They expressed their deep concern about the destruction, looting and confiscation of cultural property, including religious sites, and attempts to deny historical roots and cultural diversity, especially in the context of armed conflicts.
The meeting held fruitful discussions on the preservation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, and the need to abide by international agreements and resolutions aimed at preserving cultural heritage and combating illegal trafficking in cultural property illegally extracted from archaeological sites, taken from museums, libraries, archives, or traded illegally by private collectors, and any acts of vandalism or damage directed against cultural property, particularly in areas of armed conflict.
The members of the Forum of Ancient Civilizations welcomed the holding of the sixth ministerial meeting of the forum in Baghdad for the period from 4 to 5 December 2022.
Source: National Iraqi News Agency
