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Commemorating 20 years since the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas
The empty niches of the two giant Buddhas in the Bamiyan Valley of Afghanistan are a constant reminder of what the country lost in March, 20 years ago – a tragic event that was broadcast across the globe.
The act, by the Taliban, led to a global recognition of the need to protect cultural heritage at risk and today, these niches are inscribed on the World Heritage List as part of the “Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley” World Heritage property.
Ernesto Ottone, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Culture, said on Thursday that although the destruction of heritage and the plundering of artefacts has taken place throughout the ages, the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas represented an important turning point for the international community.
A deliberate act by the then ruling Taliban of destruction, motivated by an extremist ideology that aimed to destroy culture, identity and history, the loss of the Buddhas revealed how the destruction of heritage could be used as a weapon against local populations, he said.
In a statement issued Thursday by UNESCO, Ottone said the destruction of the Buddhas highlighted the close links between heritage safeguarding and the well-being of people and communities.
“It reminded us that defending cultural diversity is not a luxury, but rather fundamental to building more peaceful societies,” the statement read.
Since the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan, the Afghan authorities and the international community, including UNESCO, have worked tirelessly to safeguard the rich cultural and natural heritage of Afghanistan, which goes back thousands of years.
Over the past few years, more than $27 million has been invested in the conservation and stabilization of the Bamiyan World Heritage property, the empowerment of local communities, the revitalization of intangible cultural heritage, and the construction of a Cultural Centre for Bamiyan dedicated to creativity, among other activities, said Ottone.
International partners have helped stabilize the niches that were in danger of collapsing. Now, after more than 15 years, the consolidation of the eastern Buddha niche has been completed, while urgent work is progressing to safeguard the western niche, thanks to funding from Japan, he stated.
“As we mark 20 years since the destruction in Bamiyan, we at UNESCO reiterate our support to the Afghan people and reinforce our commitment to stand together with people everywhere to safeguard cultural heritage as an embodiment of our common humanity,” said Ottone.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan announced on Tuesday the release of American citizen Dennis Coyle from prison.
According to the ministry, Coyle’s mother had written to the leader of the Islamic Emirate demanding amnesty and the release of her son on the occasion of Eid. The Supreme Court considered time served sufficient and decided to release him.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that this action was carried out on the basis of humanitarianism and good faith, and it believes that such measures can strengthen trust between countries. The ministry also expressed hope that both countries, in the future, can find solutions to remaining issues through mutual understanding and constructive dialogue.
The Islamic Emirate also expressed appreciation for the cooperation of the United Arab Emirates in this matter.
Separately, for Coyle’s release, an American delegation, including Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan, met on Tuesday with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate.
The meeting was also attended by Saif Mohammed Al-Ketbi, Ambassador of the UAE in Kabul, and a member of the prisoner’s family.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Muttaqi stated that the Islamic Emirate has not detained any citizen of any country to achieve political objectives; rather, detentions were the result of legal violations, and individuals were released after completing judicial procedures.
At the meeting, Khalilzad praised the action of the Islamic Emirate and emphasized the importance of continuing discussions on all issues between the two countries, expressing hope for further progress in the future.
Muttaqi also stressed that Kabul and the UAE should provide standard consular services to their citizens, and that the Afghan government is fully prepared in this regard.
He thanked Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, for their constructive role in facilitating the release of the prisoner and referred to the UAE as a close friend of Afghanistan.
Earlier, Muttaqi had also praised the role of the State of Qatar in facilitating information exchange between the Islamic Emirate and the prisoner’s family.
Additionally, the UAE ambassador expressed his country’s readiness to play a role in humanitarian institutions and called such developments beneficial for everyone.
The United Kingdom has announced an additional £3 million (AFN 257 million) in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, aimed at supporting people affected by natural disasters and other shocks.
Richard Lindsay, in a post on X, said the funding will be used to provide essential nutrition supplies and related support to vulnerable populations.
The new allocation brings the UK’s total bilateral assistance to Afghanistan for the current financial year to £154 million (AFN 13.18 billion).
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