{"word_count": 127, "character_count": 945}
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2015/06/05/the-world-may-be-ignoring-the-destruction-of-cultural-treasures-in-yemenUNESCO has expressed grave concern over the destruction of cultural sites in Yemen -- where many sites had already been damaged since the 2011 overthrow of President Ali Abdullah Saleh -- and it announced an emergency response plan in May."In addition to causing terrible human suffering, these attacks are destroying Yemen’s unique cultural heritage, which is the repository of people’s identity, history and memory and an exceptional testimony to the achievements of the Islamic Civilization," director-general Irina Bokova said at the time.The International Committee of the Blue Shield concurred in a statement released this week: "The world needs to take humanitarian action to help protect those who have been most harmed by this conflict and to help to protect the remains of their, and our, common past,"