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Protecting Cultural Heritage – An Imperative for Humanity

Today the international crimes related to the looting and trafficking of cultural heritage are increasingly linked to international criminal activity including the financing of terrorist groups. Further actions than the sole implementation of the Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property established by UNESCO in 1970, was needed.

With this goal in mind, during 2015 and 2016, the Permanent Missions of Italy and Jordan chaired a series of meetings at UN Headquarters in New York dedicated to different aspects of the protection of cultural heritage.

This initiative was organized together with INTERPOL, UNESCO, and UNODC, who retain the related and complementary expertise on the issues. To ensure the protection of cultural heritage, Italy, Jordan, INTERPOL, UNESCO, and UNODC have drawn up a list of suggested key actions. These are based on the outcomes of these meetings, the comprehensive guidelines adopted to support the implementation of the 1970 UNESCO Convention and the UN Convention on Transnational Organized Crime, and the priorities of experts working in the field.

 protecting cultural heritage