The destruction of cultural heritage sites, particularly in contemporary conflicts, is a potential opening for external powers to shape influence, legitimacy and security in post-war environments.

“More-than-human soft power” is emerging as a vital expansion of Joseph Nye’s soft power framework, positioning nonhuman actors, ecologies, and multispecies relationships as central agents of cultural and diplomatic influence in a world shaped by climate crises, and exemplified through international art exhibitions that challenge human-centered paradigms.