TEHRAN – Blue Shield emblems are being installed on historic bridges in the western province of Lorestan as part of efforts to protect cultural heritage sites during armed conflict, the provincial cultural heritage chief said.
Ata Hassanpour, director general of Lorestan’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department, said the initiative is being carried out in line with the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.
The internationally recognized Blue Shield emblem serves as an emergency protection marker for cultural heritage sites during wartime and is being installed at nationally and internationally significant monuments across Iran, Hassanpour said in remarks published by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts.
He said the measure aims to safeguard the country’s historical and cultural heritage against potential threats during times of crisis.
Under the 1954 Hague Convention, attacks on cultural and historical monuments during armed conflict may constitute war crimes, and individuals or parties targeting such sites can incur international responsibility, Hassanpour said.
He said Lorestan had joined other provinces in implementing the convention’s guidelines and that a significant number of the province’s historical monuments had already been equipped with Blue Shield markers.
Hassanpour said the Lorestan Historic Bridges Base, the country’s only specialized conservation center dedicated to historic bridges, had adopted an innovative approach by producing the Blue Shield markers using traditional materials, including semi-refined gypsum.
The use of traditional materials improves the durability of the markers while ensuring they are visually compatible with the architectural character and historical identity of the monuments, he said, adding that the method could serve as a model for other cultural heritage conservation centers across the country.
Beyond their protective role, the Blue Shield markers can also help raise public awareness about the importance of safeguarding cultural heritage and encourage greater public participation in preserving historic monuments, Hassanpour said.
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