Ten countries unite in protection of heritage sites

Interesting news! Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Greece, Italy, China, India, Bolivia, Mexico and Peru--all home to some of the world’s most cherished archaeological sites--have signed up to the 'Ancient Civilizations Forum' launched in Athens by ministers and ambassadors from the nations.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, right, and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad

Javad Zarif, left, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi gesture as they pose for the

photographers as they attend the "Ancient Civilizations Forum" (ACForum) at Zappeio

Conference Hall in Athens, April 24, 2017. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told attendees that their cultures share a heritage of 'positive power, the strength of knowledge, education (and) progress'. He voiced hopes that the 10 countries could benefit from cooperation in areas ranging from the economy to culture. The new club is defined by history, rather than geography or clout, with each of its members having been a top global player at some--often distant--point in the past 4,000 years.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, whose government is spearheading the project along with China, said the group would run joint projects to promote 'dialogue in the face of fanaticism, and culture in the face of terrorism'. According to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi:

"We’re only just getting started."

The new 10-country group is due to meet again in Bolivia next year, the Greek foreign ministry said.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari said:

"[T]he project stood in contrast to the idea 'put forward by several intellectuals of a clash of civilizations'. We support dialogue between civilizations against the intolerance of which Daesh [IS] is a symbol."

In March, seven countries including France and Saudi Arabia joined forces with US philanthropist Tom Kaplan to pledge $75.5 million (70 million euros) to a UNESCO-backed fund aimed at protecting the world’s cultural heritage against war and terrorism. Their International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Zones, based in Geneva, aims to raise $100 million by 2019.