Abu Dhabi meeting approves heritage protection fund

Representatives of around 40 countries today approved plans to establish a fund to protect heritage sites in war zones and a network of safe havens for endangered artworks.

"We are committed to pursuing (these) two ambitious, long-term goals to guarantee the further mobilisation of the international community for the safeguarding of heritage," a statement issued after a two-day meeting in the United Arab Emirates capital said.

The meeting's Emirati and French co-sponsors had set a USD 100 million target for the fund but the statement did not specify how much had been pledged.