In order to ensure that all contributions meet the highest standards of archaeological research ethics, the Organising Committee of the Islamic Archaeology Conference (ISAC) requires that all research reported at the conference be conducted in compliance with the guidelines laid out in the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, the 1972 UNESCO Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, and the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage. Contributors are responsible for ensuring that their contributions comply with these guidelines.

The Organizing Committee of ISAC 2026 expresses its deep concern over the situation in Gaza and the devastating escalation of human loss and cultural destruction by ongoing Israeli military actions.

As scholars of archaeology and history, we are acutely aware that war threatens not only lives and communities but also the heritage that sustains collective memory. We condemn the intensifying destruction in Gaza, including attacks on civilians and cultural sites. We also oppose the use of archaeological and cultural institutions as instruments of oppression, exclusion, or justification for violence. Our conference is a space for dialogue across political and national boundaries, and we affirm that academic debate—including on urgent issues such as war, occupation, heritage, and academic affiliation—is essential to our mission.

Last year, ISAC issued an ethical statement affirming our adherence to international standards against looting, illicit trade, and the misuse of cultural heritage, in line with the 1970, 1972, and 2001 UNESCO Conventions. These principles guide our work and remain central to our values. Within the committee, it has been actively discussing how best to uphold these commitments in light of current events. Our conversations address institutional affiliation, ethical responsibility, and how to ensure that ISAC remains both inclusive and principled. While our members hold different perspectives, we share a commitment to open discussion, critical reflection, and academic freedom.