CIMAM Calls for Civilian and Cultural Protection Amid Ongoing War in Iran, Lebanon, Gaza and the Gulf Region
On behalf of the CIMAM Board, the Museum Watch Committee expresses its grave concern and condemnation of the attacks and military actions by the United States and Israel on Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza without engaging multilateral forums and ignoring international law, and of the devastating repercussions this conflict is having on the Gulf region. The destructive consequences this war is having on civilian populations and cultural life are felt globally.
CIMAM joins ICOM in urging all parties to respect their obligations under the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its Protocols, and to uphold international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians and cultural heritage.
CIMAM expresses support for artists, museum colleagues, and cultural workers in the affected regions. Cultural institutions are vital platforms for civil society that foster community, facilitate exchange, and promote values that contribute to meaningful social and political change. The destruction or endangerment of museums, collections and cultural sites is never an isolated loss. It reduces the historical and imaginative resources through which societies understand themselves, endure, and heal. We call for the protection of cultural institutions, and the professionals who care for them.
We stand with colleagues across the region and will continue to monitor the situation closely.
The CIMAM Museum Watch Committee:
- Doryun Chong, (Chair of CIMAM Museum Watch 2026-28), Artistic Director and Chief Curator, M+, Hong Kong
- Elvira Dyangani Ose, Director, Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA), Barcelona, Spain
- Sunjung Kim, Artistic Director, Art Sonje Center, Seoul, South Korea
- Pablo Lafuente, Artistic Director, Museu de Arte Moderna do Rio de Janeiro (MAM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Shabbir Hussain Mustafa, Chief Curator, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore
- Kamini Sawhney, Artistic Director, Public Art Projects, BLR Hubba, Bangalore, India
CIMAM – International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art – is an Affiliated Organization of ICOM.