UN sends containers to museums in Türkiye’s quake-hit area to protect cultural heritage

ISTANBUL

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) sent 20 containers to archaeology museums in Türkiye’s quake-hit region to protect the cultural heritage of the country.

According to a statement by UNDP, the Hatay Archeology Museum received 18 containers, while the Kahramanmaras Archeology Museum received two on Thursday as part of the first shipment of containers.

UNDP stressed these containers will serve as a safeguard to protect the priceless treasures from the collections of both museums “until preservation experts can restore damaged or destroyed landmarks and ultimately rehouse artifacts and artwork for public viewing."

“These containers are just the beginning,” UNDP representative in Türkiye Louisa Vinton said.

“UNDP is currently seeking funding to support a broader effort to rebuild thousands of damaged cultural heritage monuments, in all their splendid diversity. This is not just about physical objects, as crucial as they are to historical memory; it is also a contribution to reviving the region’s unique identity and human spirit,” Vinton added.

Meanwhile, UNDP noted they have already provided 25 containers to the Hatay firefighting unit as a temporary replacement for the Antakya fire department building, which was completely destroyed by the earthquakes.

It added UNDP is making significant efforts to support the early recovery of the earthquake-stricken region by providing waste management equipment, establishing mobile day-care centers, collaborating with women's cooperatives to set up mobile kitchens, and scaling up vocational training for displaced earthquake survivors.

More than 50,000 people were killed on Feb. 6 when magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes struck southern and southeastern Turkish provinces.

More than 13.5 million people in Türkiye have been affected by the devastating quakes as well as many others in northern Syria.