Topic:
Country: Slovenia
Delegate Name: Owen Baar
Committee: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Country: Republic of Slovenia
School: Grand Haven High School
Author: Owen Baar
Topic B: Protecting Heritage sites and Cultural Artifacts in Conflict Zones
People have always had possessions that reflect their culture, and now, many exist that work as a window to the past. These artifacts are reminders of mistakes so as to not make them again, and connect people to their roots, while heritage sites provide majestic areas that reveal the rich culture of the area. These important cultural connections are extremely important because of this emotional value, which makes it important to provide protection for such artifacts or areas in conflict zones.
Almost immediately after World War II, the UN held the 1948 UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, and recognized that cultural persecution and the deconstruction of that people’s cultural centers or artifacts, was an attribute to genocide (“Protecting Cultural”). Soon afterward, a later conference was held that addressed destruction of cultural property directly, and was established as a war crime by the Rome Statute of International Crime Court, and later, in the early 2000s, smuggling and trafficking cultural artifacts became a crime (“Protecting Cultural”). Now that there are laws defending heritage sites and cultural items, it is important to establish ways to enforce this law in order to safeguard cultural possessions.
With the intent of protecting their cultural property, counties should implement their own laws and definitions to protect heritage sites and artifacts from destruction and trafficking. Another important part is to provide security forces to guard artifacts, preservation areas, and national sites. Such needs to be provided for countries actively suffering from inner turmoil or conflict with another nation to preserve those countries’ traditions and culture. This can be done by relocating artifacts to another storage area temporarily for increased security, or by stationing neutral forces at important cultural sites. Of course, both of these would require the consent of the country they would be helping.
Realizing that cultural artifacts and heritage sites are important connections to people’s culture, Slovenia has had many changes in its legal system to perfect its protection of cultural possessions, and has its own definition of heritage sites, as well as its own penalties for destroying or trafficking artifacts, with 3-8 years in prison depending on the importance of the item (“Legal Protection”). Slovenia also offers security-related volunteer jobs, as long as the person has a corresponding educational background, to provide experience and basic education of our culture (“Slovenia 4.2.2”). Furthermore, Slovenia hopes that other countries adopt similar strategies and believes international cooperation is necessary to prevent collateral damage in conflict zones.
Works Cited
“Legal Protection of the Tangible Cultural Heritage in Slovenia – Center for Art Law.” Center for Art Law – At the intersection of visual arts and the law, 14 June 2024, https://itsartlaw.org/2024/06/14/legal-protection-of-the-tangible-cultural-heritage-in-slovenia/#:~:text=The%20Constitution%20is%20the%20basis,in%20the%20Republic%20of%20Slovenia. Accessed 13 February 2025.
“Protecting Cultural Heritage.” Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, https://www.globalr2p.org/cultural-heritage/. Accessed 14 February 2025.
“Slovenia 4.2.2.” Compendium of Cultural Policies & Trends, 11 August 2019, https://www.culturalpolicies.net/country_profile/slovenia-4-2-2/. Accessed 13 February 2025.
