Afghanistan’s current incarnation of the Taliban is taking a pragmatic approach to cultural heritage preservation, supporting work to safeguard the famous UNESCO-listed eleventh century Minaret of Jam. This is in contrast to the 1990s and early 2000s Taliban, which infamously destroyed non-Muslim monuments and statues across the country. ISAC Professor Gil Stein led efforts to restore statues in Kabul's National Museum of Afghanistan after the 2001 destruction.
Professor Gil Stein Quoted in Radio Free Europe Regarding Cultural Heritage Preservation in Afghanistan
September 22, 2026
Like everything about Afghanistan, the situation is complex and contradictory. The most basic principle is that we cannot consider the Taliban government as unitary and monolithic.
In addition to work on the Minaret of Jam, the Taliban have been actively engaged in other works of cultural heritage preservation, including works of Buddhist and Jewish heritage such as a synagogue in Herat Province. Even before the capture of Kabul, the Taliban called upon the mujahedeen to preserve all historic sites around the country and safeguard them from damage and destruction.
Read the full feature in Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Afghan Minaret Restoration Marks “Pragmatic” Taliban Approach To Cultural Heritage, Experts Say
2017
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Miscellaneous Publications
The University of Chicago, the US Embassy Kabul, the Afghanistan Centre at Kabul University, and the Afghan Ministry of Information and Culture organized an international conference focused on …
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