IRRC No. 900

Protecting the past for the future: How does law protect tangible and intangible cultural heritage in armed conflict?

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In war, individuals are vulnerable not only physically but also in terms of their cultural identity, and the obliteration of cultural heritage often becomes a central issue. This is particularly the case in armed conflicts with an ethnic, cultural or religious character. In some regions, cultural heritage consists more of monuments and objects; it is a "tangible" heritage, mostly protected by the law of armed conflict.

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