20 December 2011 The head of the United Nations agency tasked
with safeguarding the world’s cultural heritage has voiced
concern over fresh violence in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, that
left 10 people dead at the weekend and resulted in a fire at a
historic research centre that destroyed about 70 per cent of a
valuable collection of manuscripts. “This is an irreversible
loss to Egypt and to the world,” said Irina Bokova, the
Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO), in a statement issued yesterday,This is
an irreversible loss to Egypt and to the world. lamenting the
fire damage at the Institute of Egypt. “These manuscripts
represent the history and identity of a people. I call for light
to be shed on the causes of the fire, and for serious measures
to be taken quickly to save what can be saved,” she said,
praising the courage of fire fighters and volunteers who tried
to put out the fire. Ms. Bokova offered UNESCO’s assistance,
including through its already mobilize