Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict

During the seventh meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the 1954 Hague Convention, the High Contracting Parties shared their national experiences related to the implementation of the Convention and its two Protocols (see the Final Report).

The 1999 Second Protocol established the Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. The Committee is composed of 12 States Parties to the Second Protocol. The main tasks of the Committee focus on the monitoring of the implementation of the Second Protocol and management of the system of enhanced protection.

The Committee is currently preparing its third meeting whose main purpose is to continue the elaboration of the Draft Guidelines for the Implementation of the 1999 Second Protocol, initiated during two previous meetings and having resulted in the elaboration of the three chapters of the Draft Guidelines: Introduction, General Provisions Regarding Protection and Enhanced Protection.

118 countries are currently States Parties to the Convention and two ratifications (Japan and Montenegro) took place in 2007. Ninety-seven States Parties to the Convention have ratified the 1954 Protocol (four new ratifications in 2007: Argentine, Japan, Montenegro and Saudi Arabia) and 48 States Parties to the Convention are also party to the 1999 Second Protocol (six new ratifications in 2007: the Czech Republic, Japan, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay)

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is currently taking all the necessary steps with a view to ratifying the 1954 Hague Convention and acceding to its 1954 and 1999 Protocols.

• Source:UNESCO
• 15-05-2008