Human cost and cultural heritage loss in Syria

In our latest podcast episode, junglegirl (Wendy) and I (Nick) talk about our visit to Palmyra, Syria, years before the civil war:

Towards the end of the episode, we start talking about the loss of cultural heritage in Syria and whether this should be considered important given the tragic human cost. I mention that we attended a talk by UNESCO director general Irina Bokova a couple of years ago in which she said that the two things were inseparable. Here is the video of her talk (scroll to the bottom):

http://www.unige.ch/communication/archives/2014/bokova.html

What do you think?

1 Like

I’m more interested in the loss of European cultural heritage and tradition.

“I’m more interested in the loss of European cultural heritage and tradition.”
How is it related to the subject of this thread?

@Drew, would you like to expand on that?

Destruction of one set of values or people is an ‘important tragedy’ but another set is irrelevant?

Would you say this to a black person who attempted to bring up their treatment in America in the 50’s when discussing native American marginalisation ? I don’t think so.

I think it would be nice if European people saw the importance in the destruction and debasement of their own culture rather than worrying about foreign cultures all the time.

Please show me, so that I see.

Today it was revealed that ISIS, who retook control of Palmyra last month, has destroyed the Tetrapylon and badly damaged the theatre at Palmyra. So sad.

you have not said what european things are being destroyed? if you can

Un petit raciste ici mais qu’est-ce que tu fous là petit? Il y a d’autre site de la fachosphere de ton espèce pour vomir ta haine.

Et voilà. Me saying i’m interested in my own cultures loss of heritage and tradition makes me a ‘racist’. Why ? Why does being worried about the loss of white culture make me a racist ? Do you say the same thing to a black man worried about losing his identity ? No, of course not, because you’re not ‘anti-racist’, you’re anti-white.

Everybody else can be worried about losing their own traditions but when a white man is more worried about his own culture than that of a foreign one he is branded ‘racist’. Not just racist, but a white man concerned about the loss of his own culture is brandishing ‘hatred’. Despite the fact that i never mentioned any other race or group of people ?!

Do you not think, even though you can’t see it, that people who are able to think can see exactly what it is people like you are?

Don’t ever forget that people like me don’t give two shits about what people like you think, either.

Oh, mods - i expect this comment to be left standing the same way a black man defending himself against an anti-black racist would be allowed to stand.

every one should be proud of their culture and heritage regardless of race but thequestion is still what culture is being destroyed?

C’est toi le troll ici, here we speak about Syria and you come with your far right extremists theories to pollute the thread.

Drew, have you noticed that different people seem to take issue with a lot of things you say in multiple threads? Going through your various comments, you say almost nothing positive. If you’re trolling, then stop. If you’re genuine, then please try to be a bit nicer. Thanks.

Then you should also be interested in the loss of cultural heritage in Syria as there are deep connections between the two.