From UNOSAT:
Cultural heritage around the world suffers from intentional attacks, collateral damage, looting and the effects of natural disasters. Reaching affected sites and areas quickly to monitor the situation, plan for restoration and prevent further loss often proves very difficult.
Thanks to a partnership between UNESCO and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), satellite images developed through UNITAR’s UNOSAT programme in 2015 have been contributing to the work of UNESCO and heritage experts to evaluate and protect sites in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Nepal.
A new UNESCO-UNITAR summary report demonstrates how satellite imagery analysis is an increasingly important tool for assessing potential damage to cultural heritage sites.
According to Francesco Bandarin, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture, “monitoring cultural heritage in areas affected by conflict or natural disasters, including through the use of satellite imagery, is a critical step to start planning for recovery.
The report was released on June 30, 2016.
Direct to Full Text Report (16 pages; PDF)
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