Sarah Ford | April 11, 2014
When Does Targeting Monuments Become a Human Rights Abuse?
Source: Amnesty International USAÂ
Turkey’s YouTube blackout may not be as chilling as the leaked tape that prompted the ban of the video-sharing website. In the March 2014 recording, top officials in Turkey seemingly discuss staging an attack against a sacred Turkish tomb in Syria for the purpose of justifying military engagement by Ankara.
Cultural monuments have been targeted by power-holders for millennia. Assyria’s Sargon II proudly documented his plunder of the Musasir temple in Uraratu 2,700 years ago. The Nazis, as illustrated in the recent Hollywood movie The Monuments Men¸ stole precious pieces of art for either a future ‘Führermuseum’ or a complete destruction, depending on the outcome of WWII.
But cultural destruction is not a problem of the past. On the contrary, the targeting of monuments is a trending human rights violation. Here are some examples:
Get Resources and Insights Straight To Your Inbox
Explore More Articles
America’s Charities Named ‘Best Nonprofit To Work For’ For Sixth Consecutive Year
Washington, D.C. – April 1, 2026 – America’s Charities, a nonprofit dedicated to mobilizing the power of giving through workplace and employee engagement solutions, today…
Economic Fragility Continues to Impact U.S. Workers and Their Families
According to the latest Federal Reserve report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households, nearly 4 in 10 Americans would struggle to cover a modest $400 emergency, often…
$1 Billion in Giving: America’s Charities Reaches a Historic Milestone
A testament to the impact of mobilizing the power of giving. We have some extraordinary news to share. In 2025, America’s Charities crossed a threshold that few organizations…
Get Resources and Insights Straight To Your Inbox
Receive our monthly/bi-monthly newsletter filled with information about causes, nonprofit impact, and topics important for corporate social responsibility and employee engagement professionals, including disaster response, workplace giving, matching gifts, employee assistance funds, volunteering, scholarship award program management, grantmaking, and other philanthropic initiatives.
