'Ancient civilizations' team up to protect heritage from terrorism

10 nations launch effort at Athens meeting in wake of Islamic State’s destruction of ancient sites

ATHENS, Greece — Ten countries formed a new group Monday aimed at protecting ancient heritage from extremism of the kind that saw the Islamic State group lay waste to Syria’s historic Palmyra.

Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Greece, Italy, China, India, Bolivia, Mexico and Peru — all home to some of the world’s most cherished archaeological sites — have signed up to the “Ancient Civilizations Forum” launched in Athens by ministers and ambassadors from the nations.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told attendees that their cultures share a heritage of “positive power, the strength of knowledge, education (and) progress.” He voiced hopes that the 10 countries could benefit from cooperation in areas ranging from the economy to culture.

The new club is defined by history, rather than geography or clout, with each of its members having been a top global player at some — often distant — point in the past 4,000 years.

Greek Prime minister Alexis Tsipras (C), flanked by Greek Minister of Foreign affairs Nikos Kotzias (R), gestures as he delivers a speach during the "Ancient Civilizations Forum" at the Zappeion Conference Hall, in Athens, on April 24, 2017. (AFP Photo/Louisa Gouliamaki) — Greek Prime minister Alexis Tsipras (C), flanked by Greek Minister of Foreign affairs Nikos Kotzias (R), gestures as he delivers a speach during the “Ancient Civilizations Forum” at the Zappeion Conference Hall, in Athens, on April 24, 2017. (AFP Photo/Louisa Gouliamaki)

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, whose government is spearheading the project along with China, said the group would run joint projects to promote “dialogue in the face of fanaticism, and culture in the face of terrorism.”

“We’re only just getting started,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said.

Jihadists from the Islamic State terror group seized the ancient ruins of Palmyra in May 2015, systematically destroying and looting the temples of the UNESCO World Heritage site.

This image made from video posted online by Islamic State in April 2015 shows a man taking a sledgehammer to a stone carving at the ancient site of Nimrud near Mosul, Iraq. (Militant video via AP) — This screen capture from video posted online by Islamic State in April 2015 shows a man taking a sledgehammer to a stone carving at the ancient site of Nimrud near Mosul, Iraq. (Militant video via AP)

The group also ravaged the Assyrian city of Nimrud in Iraq using bulldozers and explosives, and ransacked pre-Islamic treasures in Mosul’s museum.

Bamiyan, in Afghanistan, and Mali’s Timbuktu are other UNESCO sites to suffer destruction at the hands of Islamist extremists.

The new 10-country group is due to meet again in Bolivia next year, the Greek foreign ministry said.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari said the project stood in contrast to the idea “put forward by several intellectuals of a clash of civilizations.”

“We support dialogue between civilizations against the intolerance of which Daesh is a symbol,” he said, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

In March, seven countries including France and Saudi Arabia joined forces with US philanthropist Tom Kaplan to pledge $75.5 million (70 million euros) to a UNESCO-backed fund aimed at protecting the world’s cultural heritage against war and terrorism.

Their International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Zones, based in Geneva, aims to raise $100 million by 2019.

AP contributed to this report.