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UNESCO and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt organized an Online Regional Arab Dialogue on the Fight against Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Property on 6 September 2021. The Arab Dialogue meeting was held as part of the global marking of the 50th anniversary of the 1970 Convention to take stock of five decades of combating illicit trafficking of cultural property and to identify capacity-building needs.

 

The meeting brought together some fifty participants, including government officials, the National Commissions for UNESCO, the representatives of UNIDROIT, ICCROM, Arab League of Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (ALECSO), Arab-Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH), ICOM, Blue Shield, the Egyptian Heritage Rescue Foundation, ATHAR Project, and legal expert, that have been engaged in the fight against illicit trafficking in cultural property.

 

At the opening session, Mr Ernesto Ottone R., Assistant Director-General for Culture at UNESCO, stated that cultural property was a source of history, identity, and pride and that the protection of cultural property was not only a duty but fundamental to the building of peaceful and just societies. He underlined the importance of the 1970 Convention as a unique framework for international cooperation in the implementation of preventive measures, as well as the promotion of return and restitution of cultural property, and its growing relevance in today’s world.

 

The Egyptian authorities reiterated the significance of the 1970 Convention for the Arab region which is home to a unique and diverse cultural heritage, stressing the importance of dialogue to protect cultural heritage under threat in unstable environments and conflict zones in particular.

 

The participants had the opportunity to listen to the lectures by the senior officials from the region and the presentations by the distinguished experts at two roundtables focusing on effective preventive measures, the role of museums, and good practice in partnership with civil society organizations. Among them was H.E. Dr. Laith M. Hussein, Deputy Minister of Culture for Antiquities Affairs, Head of State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, General Director of Museums Directorate. H.E. Dr. Hussein shared details of the recent repatriation of over 17,000 looted Iraqi antiquities from the USA to Iraq, .

 

The meeting provided an excellent opportunity for sharing insight, discussing challenges, and identifying needs, actions and priorities for the future. It highlighted the importance of the multi-stakeholder approach including the local community, youth, and women to address the transnational issue, calling for enhanced cooperation among the stakeholders and in particular the art market. Deep concern was expressed over the illicit sales on the Internet.  There is a need for specialized training on the legal protection, export/import control, and emergency evacuation of museum collections, especially in countries in conflict.

 

The Arab Regional Dialogue concluded with participants agreeing on the importance of regional cooperation to tackle the transnational issue of illicit trafficking of cultural property. The inputs and perspectives of the Arab region made invaluable contributions to the deliberations at  organized by UNESCO on 14 September 2021.

 

For more information, please contact UCO: a.takahashi(at)unesco.org