Saeima has approved the Law on the Second protocol to the Convention for the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict

On 15 October 2026, the Saeima approved the law On the Second Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. The law was drafted to ratify the Second Protocol to the Hague Convention, which provides broader protection for significant cultural sites and objects.

Rūta Muktupāvela participated in the drafting of the legislation as a member of the working group established by the Ministry of Culture. She is the principal investigator of the research area “Resilience of Heritage Communities in the Context of National Security” within the National Research Programme project “NAMS: Latvian Identity and Knowledge Strategies as a Resource for Societal Resilience.”

The UNESCO Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its two Protocols establish fundamental principles and measures for protecting cultural heritage during armed conflicts. The Convention safeguards cultural property, including monuments of architectural or historical significance, archaeological sites, works of art, manuscripts, books and other objects of artistic, historical or archaeological interest, as well as scientific collections, regardless of their origin or ownership.

States Parties to the Convention undertake to compile inventories of protected cultural heritage and develop appropriate action plans, mark significant buildings and monuments with the Convention’s emblem, and establish specialised units within their armed forces responsible for safeguarding cultural heritage.

Notably, the law was adopted during UNESCO Week, which took place this year from 12 to 18 October, marking the 35th anniversary of Latvia’s accession to UNESCO.

For more information, listen to the Latvian Radio programme Kultūras Rondo, featuring Dace Resele, Secretary-General of the Latvian National Commission for UNESCO, and Rūta Muktupāvela, Latvia’s representative on the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

^{Image: Archive of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia.}