Abstract

How conflicts affect the cultural heritage? The most frequent answer leads to the direct damages that may happen during wartime, by bombing or military operations. But the answer can be much more complex. Through an overview to the Lebanese recent history of conflicts and civil unrest, this article intend to present the various factors that may directly or indirectly endanger the cultural heritage or jeopardize its protection. Lebanon can in fact be considered an interesting case study that shows how much the cultural heritage and the communities can loose in case of conflicts, but in the same time, a case study that offers some interesting consideration about potential solutions in terms of prevention, education and development.