Topic: 2025-Protecting Heritage Sites and Cultural Artifacts in Conflict Zones
Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Delegate Name: Carter Baar
There have always been ‘rules’ for wars, certain things that are looked down upon, even when in the most dire of circumstances. These ‘rules’ remained unspoken but understood by all until they were shockingly broken in huge conflicts such as WW1 and WW2, this would lead to the Geneva convention where those unspoken ‘rules’ were finally spoken and agreed upon. These rules all fell under one key concept: prevent civilian losses. However, little protection was made for important cultural sites or artifacts.
The DRC supports preserving heritage sites, shown by their creation of a corps aimed at protecting the heritage sites that are inside their territory and support anti-poaching efforts (1). Congo also receives support for protecting and preserving these heritage sites through the UNESCO Biodiversity Conservation in regions of armed conflict committee as well as the Central African World Heritage Forest Initiative (CAWFHI). Without them, the DRC would not be able to improve or protect their heritage sites (1). Due to the DRC’s history of colonization, the DRC has worked with other countries such as Belgium in rebuilding the history and culture of the DRC by regaining relics that were stolen from Congo by Belgium colonizers and gathering information to rebuild the history of Congo and the many tribes that inhabit it.
The DRC will support many programs aimed to help preserve and protect heritage sites, as their developing economy is not yet strong enough to provide enough safeguards to properly protect these sites. This aid would be most helpful from UNESCO institutions like CAWFHI, which help in sustaining and repairing heritage sites, and some help from programs like the Biodiversity Conservation in regions of armed conflict committee to enforce rules that limit poaching and can protect the beauty within heritage sites like the Garamba and Salonga. The DRC is also strongly in favor of returning cultural artifacts that were stolen from colonizers back to the lands that they can from
Works Cited:
Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. “Natural World Heritage in the Congo Basin.” World Heritage Centre, 2025, whc.unesco.org/en/conservation-congo-basin/.
Zourli, Bettina. “Restitution of Historical Objects between DR-Congo and Belgium: Beyond Symbols, the Need for Lasting Cooperation.” Equal Times, 2023, www.equaltimes.org/restitution-of-historical-objects?lang=en.
