In response to increasing environmental threats and structural instability, UNESCO has granted Emergency Enhanced Protection status to the Shahr-e Gholghola (City of Screams) in Afghanistan's Bamiyan Valley. The 13th-century citadel, famously destroyed by Genghis Khan, is suffering from severe wind erosion and water infiltration that threaten to collapse its remaining towers and ramparts.
The emergency status unlocks international funding for a Digital Preservation Initiative, which will involve high-resolution photogrammetry and the installation of temporary structural supports using geotextile-reinforced earthworks. UNESCO is working with local heritage guardians to train a new generation of masonry experts in traditional mud-brick conservation techniques to stabilize the site before the winter season begins.