nov 21
Symposium on Cultural Erasure
On 21 November 2025, Ukraine - Netherlands Urban Network (UNUN) partnered in the Fables of the Reconstruction: Symposium on Cultural Erasure, organized together with The School for the City and the Spatial Justice for Palestine Network (SJ4PN, NL). The event focused on the deliberate destruction of cultural heritage during conflicts, highlighting that attacks on historic buildings, artworks, libraries, and archives are often intentional — as trophies, to break people’s spirit, or to erase the existence of a culture.
The afternoon symposium brought together professionals from defence, human rights, conservation, history, and architecture to discuss strategies for acknowledging cultural erasure, protecting threatened heritage, and amplifying the voices of affected communities. Speakers Nama’a Qudah, Wouter Vanstiphout, Arna Mackic, Hiba Omari, Valeria Prorizna, and Ankie Petersen shared insights across disciplines, emphasizing that safeguarding cultural heritage is essential for protecting identity, memory, and the right to exist.
The afternoon symposium brought together professionals from defence, human rights, conservation, history, and architecture to discuss strategies for acknowledging cultural erasure, protecting threatened heritage, and amplifying the voices of affected communities. Speakers Nama’a Qudah, Wouter Vanstiphout, Arna Mackic, Hiba Omari, Valeria Prorizna, and Ankie Petersen shared insights across disciplines, emphasizing that safeguarding cultural heritage is essential for protecting identity, memory, and the right to exist.