PARIS (BNO NEWS) – An international committee supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) met in Paris to take action to protect Haiti’s cultural heritage which was devastated by the January’s earthquake, the United Nations (UN) announced.

The magnitude 7.0 earthquake severely damaged many of Haiti’s cultural infrastructures, affecting all historic buildings in Port-au-Price, including the Cathedral, the National Palace and the Palace of Justice.

Jacmel, a town in the southeast of the island, suffered extensive damage. Jacmel was founded in the late 17th century and is on Haiti’s tentative list of sites to be considered for inscription on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

More than 200,000n people were killed in the earthquake, which left 1.3 million homeless and destroyed countless buildings, including Government facilities, hospital s and schools.

The International Coordination Committee (ICC) was set up by UNESCO to support Haitian authorities restore their country’s cultural heritage. In its first meeting, the ICC will identify priorities for the reconstruction of buildings, natural sites, damaged historic urban centers, museums, art galleries, archives and libraries.

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