Shibam isn’t the first or only cultural heritage property under threat. In 1954 the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict was adopted by The Hague after widespread destruction of cultural property during World War II—the first international treaty of its kind. The convention operates under the premise “that damage to cultural property belonging to any people whatsoever means damage to the cultural heritage of all mankind,” and therefore warrants protection from the international community.
