Training Program for Specialist Working to Deter Cultural Property Theft and the Illicit Trafficking of Antiquities

Beirut, Lebanon: on 16-20 April 2018, UNIDROIT is participating in the “Training Program for Specialist Working to Deter Cultural Property Theft and the Illicit Trafficking of Antiquities” organised by UNESCO and funded by UNESCO's Heritage Emergency Fund. 

The Training Program aims to counter antiquities trafficking in the Levant by providing a distilled version of signature professional skills programme for governmental and academic heritage decision makers who work in destabilized source countries where illicit antiquities originate.

From left to right: ARCA Chief Executive Officer, Ms Lynda Albertson, UNESCO Beirut's Programme Officer for Culture, Mr Joseph Kreidi, and UNESCO consultant, Prof. Samer Abdel Ghafour.

Engaging the European art market in the fight against the illicit trafficking of cultural property

On 20-21 March, UNIDROIT participated in a two-day capacity-building conference on “Engaging the European art market in the fight against the illicit trafficking of cultural property” held at UNESCO HQ, Paris. The joint European Union (EU)-UNESCO project aims at reinforcing the exercise of due diligence conduct in the European art trade while sensitizing relevant stakeholders to the different implications of the unlawful trade regarding terrorism financing, organized crime and money laundering. 

After the conference, a knowledge-sharing online platform on the issue was created. This Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) comprise relevant information on how to engage in the fight against the illicit trafficking of cultural property – also focusing specifically on the role of due diligence. 

-> More information available here.

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Shot of the podium		From left to right: Ms Marina Schneider, UNIDROIT Senior Legal Officer and Treaty Depositary, Dr. Rupert Keim, Managing Partner of Karl & Faber Art Auctions and Ms Rochelle Roca Hachem, Programme Specialist for Culture, UNESCO.

International Training Seminar on Reduction of Shadow Economy Related to Illegal Turnover of Cultural Objects

On 23 and 24 January 2018, UNIDROIT participated in the International Training Seminar on Reduction of Shadow Economy Related to Illegal Turnover of Cultural Objects, organised by the Latvian School of Public Administration, in cooperation with the Italian Carabinieri TPC, INTERPOL, UNESCO, UNODC, UNIDROIT and other institutions, in Riga, Latvia.

Ms Marina Schneider, UNIDROIT Senior Legal Officer, gave a presentation on the basic principles of the UNIDROIT 1995 Convention and the tasks Latvia has to perform concerning joining and implementing the Convention, while Ms Baiba Broka, Member of the UNIDROIT Governing Council and Vice Chairperson of the Senate of the University of Latvia, discussed Latvia’s benefits resulting from the accession to the UNIDROIT 1995 Convention. Latvia confirmed in fact that the procedure for accession to the 1970 UNESCO and 1995 UNIDROIT Conventions is underway.

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Ms Baiba Broka, Member of the UNIDROIT Governing Council and Vice Chairperson of the Senate of the University of Latvia		The audience in the hall