The United States of America Ratifies the 1954 Hague Convention

for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict

UNESCO and Mr. Charles Engelken, Charge d’Affairs of the United States for UNESCO announced that on March 13th, the United States became the 123rd country to ratify the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. The US has often faced criticism for its seeming unwillingness or disinterest in ratifying the Convention. Now, it seems the US is more serious about taking part in the international effort to safeguard cultural property. Director General of UNESCO Mr. Matsura expressed his thanks to Mr. Engelken for the United States of America’s ratification and urged the country to continue supporting the Convention, particularly its First and Second Protocol. With a new administration in the US and more regions threatened by armed conflict and economic hardship around the world, the ratification could not be more timely. War in Gaza, economic hardship and continued conflict in Northern Africa, and the continued looting of archaeological sites in Iraq and Afghanistan remind us of the disastrous role conflict plays in jeopardizing the preservation of cultural heritage. 

…the Hague Convention is the first multilateral treaty with a universal vocation devoted exclusively to the protection of cultural heritage in the event of armed conflict. It covers both movable and immovable cultural property, including architectural, artistic or historical monuments, archaeological sites, works of art, manuscripts, books and other objects of artistic, historical or archaeological interest, as well as scientific collections of all types. 

The Hague Convention contains a number of provisions concerning the safeguarding of and respect for cultural property, as well as those on dissemination within the general public and target groups. It also deals with sanctions. There are two Protocols to this Convention – 1954 and 1999. The 1954 Protocol focuses on the protection of movable cultural property in occupied territories, while the 1999 Protocol reinforces the Hague Convention in several aspects, such as penal and institutional measures. 

See the full list of states party to the Convention here. 

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