On February 15, 2016, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and Italy announced a joint task force of experts focusing on the conservation of cultural heritage in conflict zones.  According to the press release, “UNESCO will be able to ask the Italian Government to make experts of the Task Force available for deployment for the conservation of cultural heritage affected by crises.” UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova said, “The agreement is a major and innovative step in our effort to gain recognition for the importance of cultural heritage in cementing identity, building social cohesion and fostering resilience in times of crisis.” According to a news report, the idea of a task force was proposed by member states at UNESCO's general conference last November, which sought to address the “recent large-scale, systematic destruction and looting of cultural sites and attacks on cultural diversity and cultural and religious minorities infringing on their human rights and security.” Enhancing UNESCO’s ability to respond to these challenges “builds on existing international legal instruments, notably the 1954 Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, and enhances the scope of their application.”