Damage to cultural property belonging to any people whatsoever means damage to the cultural heritage of all mankind, since each people makes its contribution to the culture of the world – Preamble of the 1954 Hague Convention.
The Second World War inflicted a massive destruction on cultural heritage. To prevent this tragedy from happening again a decisive step forward was taken by the international community at The Hague in 1954. The first international treaty focusing exclusively on the protection of cultural heritage in armed conflict, the 1954 Hague Convention was adopted.
Safeguard and respect are the watchwords of the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its two Protocols (1954 and 1999). Damage to cultural property belonging to any people whatsoever” is internationally recognized as damage to the cultural heritage of all mankind.
The 1954 Hague Convention aims to protect immovable and movable cultural heritage such as monuments, art, archaeological sites, scientific collections, manuscripts, books and other objects of artistic, historical or archaeological interest from effects of armed conflict.

on this subject: Armed conflict and heritage