Author: Elimarie Garcia-Cosme

Cultural heritage across the world forms a part of a place’s history, culture, and the livelihood of people in the surrounding communities. As we all know, once something has disappeared and is lost, it can’t be brought back. There are devastating consequences when cultural heritage is lost and we need to be paying attention. Together we can take action and raise awareness! 

Started a little over a year ago, the Wall of Shame is a way to bring attention to cultural heritage that is being destroyed, neglected, or at risk and to hold those that are responsible for this destruction accountable for their actions. While we know war and times of conflict often result in the destruction of cultural heritage, it is not the only time this occurs. It can occur in any place, at any time! The Wall of Shame aims to bring attention to all sites and find ways to work together to find solutions to preserve them.  

Since its launch, the Wall of Shame has had 18 sites nominated and put on display. Sadly, the number of sites that are destroyed and neglected continues to grow and are not limited to those currently on display. The sites on the Wall are from countries all over the world, including Afghanistan, Australia, Germany, the United States, Syria, the United Kingdom, and several others. The sites included in the project fall within 5 alert levels, all as equally important and necessary to bring attention to. Some sites are irreparably destroyed such as the Bamiyan Buddhas of Afghanistan and the St. Lambertus Cathedral in Germany; while others, if action is not taken, are in serious danger to be destroyed such as the Knock Iveagh, a burial mound in the United Kingdom, and Mes Aynak, a bronze age city of the former Silk Road in Afghanistan. There are sites that have been partially destroyed but still have parts that can be salvaged such as Palmyra in Syria. The threat to these sites range from war, local government, federal projects, and so much more. No matter the threat, the destruction should be stopped and we can all work together to hold those responsible accountable! 

Scroll through the Wall and learn more about sites already on display. Contribute to bringing attention to these sites and spreading the word! If a specific site speaks to you, please feel free to share about it on your social media, with your local community, or reach out to those involved with preserving the site. Taking action and sharing information about each of these sites is a productive step towards solutions.

Is there a site in your area that is in danger of destruction, has been destroyed, or has been neglected? Fill out this form and nominate your site! If you have any questions or information you would like to share, contact me, Elimarie, at specialprojects@arch-library.org.

Note: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in our Wall of Shame entries belong solely to the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARCH, Inc., or its volunteers, officers, employees, or board of directors. As part of its nomination process, ARCH, Inc. will make a reasonable attempt to verify the accuracy of the information presented by the author. However, ARCH, Inc., assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content provided by the author, whether or not arising from the negligence of any of the author. The information contained on the entry pages for the Wall of Shame are provided on an “as is” basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness. While ARCH Inc., may edit a submission for brevity and clarity, ARCH does not make any substantive changes to the content submitted by the Author.