Adoption of the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict

On 14 May 1954, the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict was adopted in The Hague. It was the first multilateral international treaty specifically dedicated to the protection of cultural heritage during armed conflicts.

The Convention requires States to prepare in advance for the safeguarding of cultural property and, during armed conflict, to respect such property both on their own territory and on the territory of other States Parties. Cultural property must not be used in a way that could expose it to destruction or damage. Attacks against such objects are also prohibited, except in cases of imperative military necessity.

The Convention further obliges States to prevent theft, looting, misappropriation, and acts of vandalism against cultural property. Specific provisions on preventing the illicit export of cultural property from occupied territories, and its return after the end of occupation, are set out primarily in the First Protocol to the 1954 Convention.

To facilitate the identification of cultural heritage sites, a special protective emblem may be used — a blue-and-white shield. However, the absence of this emblem does not remove protection if the property falls under the scope of the Convention.

The 1954 Hague Convention is a key instrument of international humanitarian law. Its provisions are supplemented by the 1954 First Protocol and the 1999 Second Protocol, which strengthen protection mechanisms, including the enhanced protection regime and provisions on criminal responsibility for serious violations.

Ukraine is a party to the 1954 Convention, its First Protocol, and the 1999 Second Protocol. At the international level, UNESCO serves as the depositary and secretariat of the relevant mechanisms and supports the implementation of the Convention and its Protocols.

The Ukrainian Red Cross continues to promote knowledge of international humanitarian law and supports the implementation of its norms, including in the field of cultural heritage protection.