Lebanese 'Sour' Antiquities on UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger

Paris (AFP) – The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has inscribed the ancient Phoenician city of Sidon in southern Lebanon on its list of World Heritage Sites in Danger, the organization announced on the X platform.

A UNESCO note, issued as its World Heritage Committee holds its 48th session in Busan, South Korea, stated that the Sidon archaeological site “has suffered direct hits and damage, and its conservation status raises growing concern, particularly in light of the possibility of further damage.”

The UN agency added that “optimal conditions are no longer in place to ensure the safeguarding and protection of the site’s Outstanding Universal Value,” clarifying that the request for its inclusion on the List of World Heritage in Danger was submitted by the Lebanese state.

Sidon is located on the southern coast of Lebanon, about 20 kilometers from the border with Israel, and is one of the oldest cities in the Mediterranean world. A large number of its residents have been displaced following evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military.