In a three-week long series UNAMA publishes daily articles to mark UNAMA's Afghan Update on Cultural Heritage that recognises Afghanistan's rich past and the need to preserve it for future generations.

Afghanistan: heritage and integrity

Nancy Hatch Dupree, one of the foremost authorities on Afghanistan?s cultural heritage. ensures the sustainability of the Afghanistan Centre at Kabul University.

Published on 7 March 2010

Afghan students graduate in Arts & Crafts

The Institute for Afghan Arts and Architecture: First Graduating Class in December 2009

Published on 6 March 2010

Afghan images, a people no one cares for

Between Suffering and Beauty: Documenting Afghanistan?s Refugees

Published on 3 March 2010

Afghan relics sold for food

Conflict and looting are threatening Afghanistan's treasures says BBC reporter Peter Greste (2001)

Published on 25 February 2010

Illegal trade in Afghan antiquities funds terrorism

Spotlight reports that the exploitation of Afghanistan's rich cultural heritage is helping to finance terrorism and the Taliban.

Published on 19 February 2010

Cultural preservation builds ties to war-torn Afghanistan

Germany is contributing to civil aid projects in Afghanistan - with schools, police training and better streets, but also with money for the maintenance of Afghan cultural heritage sites.

Published on 13 February 2010

Blood antiques from Afghanistan

'Blood antiques' sustains the war in Afghanistan. Apparently it is not difficult to smuggle artefacts from Afghanistan, the Taliban will facillitate.

Published on 29 January 2010

Afghanistan: an unlikely place for tourism

War-riden Afghanistan is not ready but it does have potential for the tourist industry

Afghanistan: an unlikely place for tourism

War-riden Afghanistan is not ready but it does have potential for the tourist industry

Published on 12 January 2010

UNESCO plans for 2010

UNESCO has been working closely with the Afghan Government and people since 2003. Today they prresent their plans for 2010 on Education and Culture

Published on 8 October 2009

In praise of the national museum in Kabul

Major step in rebuilding of Kabul's National Museum. Smuggled artefacts were confiscated at Heathrow.

Published on 7 October 2009

Afghan museum treasures recovered

'Collection was one of the most extraordinary in the world'

Published on 28 September 2009

Mine Action Coordination Centre of Afghanistan (MACCA)

The four main areas on the archaeological World Heritage site of Bamyan declared free of mines

Published on 21 September 2009

Peace Day 2009 campaign in Bamyan

Bamyan artists, photographers and women?s associations will organize photo, art and handicraft exhibitions for peace.

Published on 14 June 2009

UN works to protect Afghanistan's world heritage site

UNESCO trains Afghans to demine the archaeological site Bamyan. The demining will take place from May to October.

Published on 14 May 2009

Learning a Hard History Lesson in 'Talibanistan'

To Accommodate New Troops, the U.S. Military Expanded a Base and Inadvertently Disrupted Ancient Afghan Canals

Published on 13 November 2008

Babylon exhibition opens in UK

Babylon, where kings created an early code of law

Published on 28 September 2008

About 30 Historical Relics Stolen from Herat Museum

The missing artifacts included a Buddha statue; two stone-made literary works from the Buddhism eras behind the theft

Published on 19 June 2008

Afghanistan seeks return of 'stolen treasures' by a Norwegian soldier

Norwegian soldier accused

Published on 14 December 2007

Looters sell Afghan history cheap

Foreigner buy, locals dig and the shopkeeper earnes the most

Looters sell Afghan history cheap

Foreigner buy, locals dig and the shopkeeper earnes the most

Published on 15 August 2007

Afghan empire's last symbols under threat

Ancient Tower of Victory on the verge of disappearing

Published on 31 July 2007

Babylonian artifacts in German auction house

4500-year old golden vessel from a Babylonian doll house on sale

Published on 15 July 2007

Afghanistan's cultural heritage plundered

Afghanistan antiquities. Rare historical artefacts being stolen

Afghanistan's cultural heritage plundered

Afghanistan antiquities. Rare historical artefacts being stolen

Published on 20 March 2007

Afghanistan's ancient treasures a worrying modern-day trade

UNESCO called on art dealers and collectors to refrain from acquiring objects that formed part of Afghanistan's cultural heritage

Published on 3 February 2007

Plundering of Afghanistan's archaeological sites and museums continues

5 Years after the Taliban did not change much

Published on 23 January 2007

Afghan Archaeologist Discusses Bamiyan Site

After the destruction of the Bamyan Buddha's the initiative to start the APAA was acry from the heart

Published on 1 December 2006

Walking the mine fields

Agencies such as UNESCO will also be present as partners of goodwill and expertise in the renewal process

Published on 21 February 2005

Restoring Nation's Cultural Heritage

The fate of the Darulama museum

Published on 31 December 2004

Artifacts returned to the Ministry of Information and Culture?

Retrieving objects looted from the Kabul Museum before they disappear

Published on 30 June 2004

Double Standard: Iraq or Afghanistan?

US government paying attention to the heritage of Iraq while ignoring that of Afghanistan.

UNESCO report on its activities in Afghanistan

UNESCO's mandate and recent activities for the rehabilitation of Afghanistan's cultural heritage

Published on 3 January 2004

The Impact of War upon Afghanistan?s cultural heritage

Statement by MR. Abdul Wasey Feroozi, director generla of the National Institute of Archaeology, Ministry of Information and Culture of Afghanistan

Published on 13 December 2003

Plunder goes on across Afghanistan

There was looting under the Taliban, but it was nothing compared to now, looters grew bolder over the years

Published on 19 June 2003

Battle to save Afghanistan's shattered heritage

Two years after the Taliban destroyed much of Afghanistan's cultural heritage, attempts are being made to restore what is left.

Published on 1 October 2002

Restoring Babur's Moghul Gardens

The gardens of Babur, the first Moghul emperor, are today surrounded by urban sprawl.

Afghan Fine Arts and Crafts

Gallery of Fine Arts and Traditional Afghan Crafts newly opened

Kabul Museum: Keeping Afghanistan's culture alive

Of two nearly 2,000-year-old statues that once graced the entrance hall, nothing is left but the feet.

Culture: A historical junction

An account of Afghan history, art, heritage and war - a long history

Buddhas of Bamiyan: A Crime Against Culture

Bhuddist statues cut out in the rocks of Bamiyan blewn to pieces by the Taliban

Under threat: The Magnificent Minaret of Jam

Minaret of Jam put on UNESCO?s World Heritage List.

Published on 1 September 2002

Afghanistan: At the Crossroads of Ancient Civilisations

Short art history of Afghanistan

Published on 3 May 2002

'Miracle' of 2nd century bowl saved from Taliban

Lost treasure from Kabul Museum turns up

Published on 30 April 2002

Plundering Afghanistan

A booming antiquities trade strips the country of its cultural heritage

Published on 19 March 2002

Greek Efforts in Afghanistan

Speaking with Greece's Minister of Culture on their effort to aid their mutual cultural heritage

Published on 1 July 2001

UNESCO's Response to the Destruction of Statues in Afghanistan

Christian Manhart reports

Published on 30 June 2001

Cultural Terrorism

Archaology Newsletter 54/3 features the incomprehemsible measures the Taliban took once in control

Published on 2 March 2001

Destructive Frenzy in Afghanistan

Pre-Islamic artifacts were being systematically destroyed by the ocuntry's fundamentalist Taliban regime.

Temporary stop of News

Due to heavy workload

20 February 2013

Syrian violence threatens ancient treasures

We emptied Syria's museums

Comics from Syria

Syrian Messengers

19 February 2013

Mali's ancient treasures are too valuable to be buried again

The ancient manuscripts of Timbuktu are a door into Africa's golden age. We must not let this crisis threaten their survival

People of Timbuktu save manuscripts from invaders

These manuscripts are our identity

Ancient Homer tablets the latest invaluable artifacts stolen in Syria

Mosaics depicting scenes from Homer?s epic poem The Odyssey.

18 February 2013

Cultural Property Again in the Propaganda War in Syria

Press, reigime and propaganda

Live Blogging from Bhutan

International Conference on Protection of Cultural Property in Asia

Latest publications

Archaeologist under pressure: neutral or cooperative in wartime.
to be published 2010
Gender makes sense. A Way to Improve Your Mission
- 22 October 2008
The politics of amate and paper in Mexico
- IPH Congress Book vol.16