ILLICIT TRADE IN CULTURAL ARTEFACTS: STRONGER TOGETHER? The way forward UNESCO s actions to prevent illicit trade Oslo, Norway 2-3 December 2015
UNESCO Culture Conventions 2 INTERPOL For official use only
1970 Convention: ratifications 129 States Parties 3 INTERPOL For official use only
1970 Convention 3 pillars 4
Requests States to adopt preventive measures Creating national services for protecting cultural property: specialized customs and police officers Introduce export certificates Drafting laws for protecting cultural property National inventories of protected property Educational campaigns Rules for collectors and art dealers Penal and administrative sanctions
1995 UNIDROIT Convention 37 States Parties All stolen and/or illicitly exported cultural objects are covered (not just inventoried objects) and are to be returned Art. 4 Due Diligence The possessor of a stolen cultural object required to return it shall be entitled, at the time of its restitution, to payment of fair and reasonable compensation provided that the possessor neither knew nor ought reasonably to have known that the object was stolen and can prove that it exercised due diligence when acquiring the object (Article 4 (1)). 6
Links IllicitTraffic and Terrorism The November 2014Report (S/2014/815)of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Teammade reference to how terrorist groups were generating income via illicit trafficking of cultural property 7 INTERPOL For official use only
UNSC Res 2199 12 February 2015 3 Paragraphs on Cultural Heritage, most importantly: 17.Reaffirms its decision in paragraph 7 of resolution 1483 (2003) and decides that all Member States shall take appropriate steps to prevent the trade in Iraqi and Syrian cultural property and other items of archaeological, historical, cultural, rare scientific, and religious importance illegally removed from Iraq since 6 August 1990 and from Syria since 15 March 2011, including by prohibiting cross-border trade in such items, thereby allowing for their eventual safe return to the Iraqi and Syrian people and calls upon the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Interpol, and other international organizations, as appropriate, to assist in the implementation of this paragraph; 8
April 2015, High-Level Meeting Outcomes in order to strengthen UNSC 2199 Roadmapfor partners (UNESCO, Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team of the UN Security Council, INTERPOL, UNODC, WCO, UNIDROIT, ICCROM, ICOMOS, ICOM, IFLA)focused on information sharing and joint actions Network of focal pointsto facilitate information exchange Guidelines for effective national measures for the implementation of UN 9 Resolution 2199 (Circular letters to all Member States)
GUIDELINES FOR EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RESOLUTION AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL UNSC Res 2199 Revision of national legislation concerning due diligence, provenance check, acquisition policies, import-export restrictions, strengthening the investigation and seizure procedures, strengthening penal sanctions; Sharing intelligence to enable concerned international organizations to provide a route map of the smugglers for a better prevention; Proper implementation of the relevant legal instruments at the national level; Systematic recording of seized Iraqi and Syrian artefacts on their respective territories; Awareness-raising and capacity-building initiatives. 10
UNSC Res2199 UNSMT report 6 July -submission to UNSMT of synthesis + analysis by UNESCO of reports on measures taken by Member States on the implementation of UNSC RES 2199 Dec 2015: 34 country reports on national implementation sent to the secretariat send information on seized articles to UNESCO and INTERPOL 11
High-LevelMeeting ROADMAP FOR THE NETWORK OF EXPERTS (1) Share information and coordinate actions in relation to the implementation of para 17 of the UNSC Resolution 2199; Gather and analyse information on the looting of cultural objects with a view to a more systematic monitoring of the situation and trafficking routes; Establish a list of independent cultural heritage experts to support authentication processes of Syrian and Iraqi artefacts in transit countries and on the art market; Identify priority areas for joint programmes and activities, and develop public messaging to be used by the partners based on a common approach; Establish a joint fund-raising strategy to support the implementation of this Road Map; Compile relevant information of cases of known and suspected antiquities trading linked to the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant and Al-Nusra Front; 12
Capacitybuilding Technicalsupport, training and workshops, emergency actions
Capacity building Alone in the period between June 2012 and November 2015, UNESCO organized: 26 workshops More than 132 countries involved More than 1000 participants Special attention to emergency situations (Syria, Iraq, Mali, Libya, 14 Yemen, Haiti )
Contents 1970 Convention Capacity-building action Legal Component 1970 UNESCO and 1995 UNIDROIT Conventions regarding the protection of cultural heritage 1954 Conventionand its two protocols Analysis of the existing legal framework at the national level Operational component Operational tools: Model Export certificate Object ID Databasesof stolen cultural objects Heritage Police: challenges and successful examples The role of customs Return and restitution procedures Bilateral agreements Trafficon internet The protection of archaeological sites 15 Awareness-raising component
Actions in Syria 16 INTERPOL For official use only
Actions in Syria 17 INTERPOL For official use only
Outreachactivities
Production of Communication tools Audiovisual materials (mini clips, TV spots, documentaries, radio messages ) Publications (books, magazines ) Materials for kids (games, cartoons, comic strips, animated movies ) Printed materials (posters, poscards, stickers, etc.) Dissemination of tools - UNESCO s channels, including digital and social media - with the support of UNESCO s partners, FOs and Natcoms, governmental authorities - through mass media - Reinforced by Awareness-raising workshops with journalists and media
Awareness-raising UNESCO Director-General launched an international online campaign in Baghdad, Iraq, under the banner #Unite4Heritage (march 2014) Part of broader awareness-raising and mobilization of young people to stand up for the safeguarding of heritage threatened by violent extremism and to provide a counter-narrative to propaganda http://www.unite4heritage.org 20
Raising Awareness Via UNESCO social media platforms Clips freely available for partners and the public to disseminate among their networks 21
TV Spots Iraq Three television spots in Arabic. Alerting local populations about the risk of trafficking in Iraqi cultural property. INTERPOL For official use only
Publications INTERPOL For official use only
Raising-Awareness Addressing Youth «Cultural Heritagein a Box» (Mongolia)-toolkitto educate childrenand youthon theiridentifyand cultural heritage, as wellas itsprotection 24
Outreach partnerships -Partnership with the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation (Pergamon Museum) Using#Unite4Heritage on all promotional material - Communication leaflets; - Documentary; -Link on their website - Travelguides (LonelyPlanet, Hachette) - Airlines (All Nippon Airlines): distribution of clips and communication materials 25
UNESCO for Iraq Awareness-raising of Member States: appeals and letters August 2014 Pursuant to a call from the Permanent Delegate of the Republic of Iraq to UNESCO, calling on all nations of the world to stand with Iraq in protecting its cultural heritage, the Director-General wrote to all States Parties and non-states Parties to the 1970 Convention as well as to major museums and auction houses worldwide in order to forward the Ambassador s call while the country s heritage is facing increased risks of pillage. 26
Cooperationwiththe art market Cooperation with major Auction Houses including Sotheby s and Christie s Have taken part in social media awareness raising campaignsagainstillicittrafficking specificallyto protect Syrian and Iraqi cultural heritage France: Drouot round table on 18 November «combatting illicit trade in antiquities» 27 INTERPOL For official use only
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Conseil des ventes volontaires 29
Exampleof Nordic Cooperation Norway Iraq
Framework Emergency Response Action Plan for the Safeguarding of Iraqi Cultural Heritage (17 July 2014) Focus on objective Enhancing communication, and raising awareness with regards to the importance of safeguarding of Iraqi cultural heritage 31
Completed Activities Informative material and support of the Unite4Heritage campaign event INTERPOL For official use only
Video: #Unite4Heritage. Celebrating Iraq s cultural diversity. INTERPOL For official use only
Information about UNESCO Actions and International Cooperation INTERPOL For official use only
INTERPOL For official use only Translating and producing the Special Issue of World Heritage
Ongoing Activities Production of two sets of three communication messages Focus on importance of protecting cultural and religious heritage from vandalism, looting, and destruction Target audience: Iraqi population, countries in region, art market. Posters, postcard and leaflets about restitution cases and the 1970 Convention. INTERPOL For official use only
Takk! Contact María José Miñana Cultural Heritage Protection Treaties Section Division for Cultural Expressions and Heritage Tel: 00.33.1.45.68.47.61 @: m.minana@unesco.org Website www.unesco.org/culture/en/illicittrafficking