The publication of this report coincides with the tenth anniversary of the destruction of the Buddha statues of Bamiyan and a large number of pre-Islamic objects throughout Afghanistan in March 2001. The subsequent appeal of UNESCO’s Director-General to explore all avenues leading to the safeguarding of the remaining treasures of Afghanistan’s pre-Islamic heritage sparked international debate on the most effective means of averting such crimes against the common heritage of humanity in the future. The Afghan interim government requested UNESCO to co-ordinate all actions to safeguard Afghan cultural heritage. In 2003 the Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley was simultaneously inscribed on the World Heritage List and the List of Heritage in Danger. To further ensure the preservation of the remains of the destroyed Buddha statues and other pre-Islamic cultural heritage, including museum objects, UNESCO co-ordinated the Bamiyan Expert Working Group, which has held eight meetings since 2002. In March 2011, this international and interdisciplinary group of specialists will convene at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris for its ninth meeting. Aware of the potential of post-conflict situations to foster dialogue, reconciliation, social stability and reconstruction, UNESCO carries out peace-building actions in a number of areas around the world with a view to contributing to the construction of a common future for communities that have suffered from civil strife. UNESCO’s initiatives for the safeguarding of the Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley seek not only to preserve tangible heritage and train local conservation specialists but also to promote intercommunity mediation, develop intercultural understanding particularly among young people, and stimulate sustainable economic development for local communities. Moreover UNESCO’s action in Afghanistan is in line with the UNDAF (United Nations Development Assistance Framework) and the Afghan National Development Strategy, aimed at fostering sustainable development for all people of Afghanistan. On behalf of UNESCO, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to our various international partners, and particularly the Government of Japan, which has generously provided funds for the preservation of Afghanistan’s cultural heritage. Since 2002, the endangered cliffs in the Bamiyan Valley have been successfully consolidated thanks to the projects executed under the UNESCO/Japan Funds-in-Trust and the bilateral project funded by the German Government and carried out by ICOMOS-Germany. We are particularly grateful to the Government of Afghanistan, the Permanent Delegation of Afghanistan to UNESCO, and the Governor of Bamiyan Province, H. E. Mrs Habiba Sarabi.I would also like to thank the implementing agencies including the UNESCO Kabul Office, ICOMOS-Germany, the Agha Khan Foundation (Bamiyan), ISPRA (Italian Institute for Protection and Environmental Research), NRICP (National Research Institute for Cultural Properties) Tokyo and Nara, RWTH Aachen University, and the Munich Technical University. Last but not least, we are indebted to the members of the Expert Working Group for contributing to the present report, which bears witness to their professionalism and commitment to safeguarding our common cultural heritage.