UNESCO chief deplores damage to cultural heritage sites in Egypt

The United Nations cultural agency expressed grave concern for Egypt’s cultural heritage following reports that a national museum in the city of Minya have been looted and that several monuments of religious importance in Fayoum and Cairo have been destroyed. Francesco Bandarin, Deputy Director-General of UNESCO, asserted his group's support and cooperation with the government to protect Egyptian's cultural heritage which is part and parcel of the world's heritage. Bandarin met with Egypt's ambassador to UNESCO, who handed him over a letter unveiling the damage that hit Egypt's cultural heritage sites over the past days, the foreign ministry spokesman said. In an earlier statement, the head of UNESCO condemned "the attacks against cultural institutions of the country and looting of cultural property. “This constitutes irreversible damage to the history and identity of the Egyptian people," Irina Bokova said.