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UNESCO and EU International Conference gathers key stakeholders in the fight against illicit trafficking
On 9 June 2022, UNESCO, in partnership with the European Union, organized ''Strengthening the fight against illicit trafficking of cultural property - a UNESCO/European Union Conference''. Held at UNESCO Headquarters, the Conference brought together representatives of international organizations, the art market, government officials and experts from academia, the financial sector, the judiciary, and law-enforcement as well as young people. The Conference was organized within the framework of the project "", and focused on three main themes: interregional cooperation, interdisciplinary perspectives and education.
At the opening ceremony, the importance of coordinated international cooperation in the implementation of the was reaffirmed.
We welcome the dialogue that has been initiated with each of the actors involved - your role is essential in promoting the 1970 Convention.
The representative of the European Union underlined the importance of close collaboration with UNESCO and all relevant stakeholders through the for the EU ‘Action Plan to combat illicit trafficking in cultural goods’.
Five years ago, the European Union and UNESCO saw the need for concerted and joint action to strengthen the fight against illicit trafficking of cultural goods. Since 2017, several thousands of professionals have participated in training workshops and have become focal points of information and support.
The historical and philosophical background of the topic of the Conference was presented by French-Polish historian-philosopher Prof. Krzysztof Pomian, who put into context the importance of cultural property, its intangible value for the memory and cultural identity of peoples.
The first panel discussed the necessity of interregional and international cooperation. ‘Peer-to-peer’ meetings involving different countries and professional disciplines were seen as fruitful platforms for exchange and co-operation by representatives from Algeria, the Netherlands and Serbia. Participants also reflected on INTERPOL's action as an international law enforcement actor, such as the latest .
The second panel gathered experts from different disciplines as well as key partners, such as the Council of Europe and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), to discuss ways of combating cultural property crimes. Participants stressed that the link between illicit trafficking and terrorism and war crimes should be more widely recognized, and recalled that trafficking in cultural property causes significant damage to communities in conflict zones. A representative of the (Nicosia Convention 2017) underlined the need to provide legal tools to prosecutors and lawyers.
Interdisciplinary perspectives on the topic of transparency were the focus of the third panel discussion, which brought together representatives of the art market, the financial sector, museums, and researchers. They shared their views on the challenges of implementing regulations on market transparency and provenance research, as well as the current difficulties regarding illicit online transactions. While recognizing the importance of legal measures, such as the work of the , and the , participants stressed the ethical dimension of any action related to cultural objects, their collection and trade.
Educational and awareness-raising efforts were explored in the fourth panel, which gathered representatives and experts from different countries, ICCROM, as well as a students’ association. Panelists shared a wide range of experiences, tools, and good practices of working with and raising awareness of different audiences. Initiatives such as the , which gathered students from different European UNESCO Chairs and UNITWIN Networks were highlighted, as well as ways to include educational and awareness-raising measures in the elaboration of the UNESCO Flagship Programme for Africa, “Fostering cultural heritage and capacity development”. While acknowledging the variety of existing educational material, such as the and the , participants stressed the need to further develop and adapt educational materials for different audiences, including young people.
During the closing session, the representative of the European Union underlined the complexity of the challenges faced by the illicit trafficking of cultural property, and the important measures that have been undertaken thus far, such as the activities implemented during the ongoing and , as well as the .
We need to continue our awareness raising efforts because they do make a difference. All the relevant professionals and the general public must understand the importance of combatting the illicit trafficking of cultural goods for the protection of our cultural heritage, for our security and for the reliability and proper functioning of the art market.
This conference promoted good practices and tools for prevention against looting and prosecution of illicit trafficking. It also stressed the need for interdisciplinary and interregional professional exchange among peers, international cooperation and continued dialogue. The outcome demonstrated the relevance of the activities carried out by UNESCO in partnership with the European Union and highlighted the importance of continuing efforts jointly in the future.
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