Terrorism and Other Threats to European Heritage

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Terrorism and Other Threats to European Heritage

In 2015 European Union leaders asked Federica Mogherini, European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, to prepare an EU Global Strategy on Foreign and Security Policy to guide the European Union’s global actions in the future. The Global Strategy will be presented by June 2016. Meanwhile, the devastative war in Syria, the Daesh barbarian acts and the increasing terrorism attacks, the worldwide organized crime and the dramatic illegal trafficking of people, are threats to human life and human dignity, to the european lifestyle and culture. In these times of crisis, heritage became an important reference for community’s sense of belonging and identity. But they also can fast became military targets: the Buddhas of Bamiyan blown up by the Taliban in Afghanistan, the destruction by Daesh of the ancient temple of the Baalshamin, an iconic part of the Syrian site of Palmyra or the plundering of the Iraq’s national museum are just a few examples. In this paper we discuss the importance of the European Heritage on Foreign Policy and why it should be considered in the process of preparing EU Global Strategy.


 

João Almeida Filipejalmeidafilipe@gmail.com

ISCTE – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa & Assembleia da República

PhD candidate in Public Policy. Legal Adviser European Affairs Committee of Assembleia da República (2014 to present date). Coordinator – division for strategic projets of the Portuguese National Authorithy for Civil Protection (2010-2014). Legal Adviser Secretary of State for Culture (2007-2010). Legal Officer at Ministry of Culture (2004-2007).