Specialists of Cultural Heritage and Its Protection Will Discuss Massive Destruction of Sites in the World
In September, 2015, ISIS began the methodical destruction of the thousand-year-old ancient city of Palmyra in Syria. 
All that remains there today are a few anonymous stones on a sand field. Can we prevent wars from destroying our shared heritage of humanity? Can cultural heritage be protected by law?
Are international organizations like UNESCO trying hard enough? Is technology part of the solution?
All of these questions will be addressed by a panel of experts at the Cultural Center of the Lycée Français de New York, 505 East 75th Street, New York, NY 10021 on Monday, December 5, 2016 at 6:30pm.
With Hugh Eakin, Senior Editor at New York Review of Books with extensive reporting on this issue, Philippe de Montebello, professor of Art History at NYU’s Institute of History of Fine Arts and ex-director of the Metropolitan Museum, Edouard Planche, a legal expert in the protection of cultural heritage at UNESCO, Salam Al Kuntar, a research fellow at the Penn Museum of the University of Pennsylvania and co-director of the Safeguarding the Heritage of Syria and Iraq Project and Navina Najat Haydar, curator in The Met’s department of Islamic Art since 1999.
About the panel series
The 21st Century Citizenship Series are panel discussions on the major issues facing our world. Organized in the evening and in English, these panels are free and open to all.
About LFNY Cultural Center
The Cultural Center of the Lycée Français de New York offers a rich cultural program related to French and francophone cultures. Thanks to a diverse repertoire of public lectures, films, concerts and plays, the Center plays a vital role in underscoring the importance of French contributions to the international cultural tapestry. For more information visit http://www.lfny.org/culturalcenter