Government representatives from nine countries participated in the Seventh South Asian Conference on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) to discuss and deliberate on key issues related to "Protection of Cultural Property and Armed Conflict". Delegates from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka participated at the regional meet held from 20 to 23 August 2017 in Kathmandu.
Delegates shared insights on good practices, opportunities and challenges regarding the protection of cultural property and the implementation of relevant practical and procedural requirements.
The annual meet aimed to share among States information which is relevant to the effective implementation of IHL and encourage States to adopt necessary implementing legislation for IHL treaties to which they are a Party. This forum is also an endeavour to encourage States who are not Party to these treaties to consider doing so and update participants on recent developments in IHL and the work of the ICRC.
The conference also involved a close participation of the UNESCO with which the ICRC signed a partnership agreement last year paving the way for the two organisations to collaborate on this subject.