ARCA Annual Conference
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Ms Marina Schneider, UNIDROIT Senior Legal Officer, presented the 1995 UNIDROIT Convention and the concept of unification of private law at the ARCA’s Annual Interdisciplinary Art Crime Conference, held in Amelia (IT), June 23-24.
-> More info
European Year of Cultural Heritage
On 4 and 5 June, UNIDROIT attended the Fifth Meeting of the Stakeholders' Committee of the European Year of Cultural Heritage, organised by the European Commission and held in Brussels. On that occasion, the Commission interviewed the stakeholders for contributions to the New European Agenda for Culture.
-> EYCH
EU Workshop on Protecting Iraqi Cultural Heritage and Fighting Terrorism
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On 30 May, Ms Marina Schneider, UNIDROIT Senior Legal Officer and Treaty Depositary, participated in the Workshop on Protecting Iraqi Cultural Heritage and Fighting Terrorism organised by the Technical Assistance and Information Exchange Instrument of the EU Commission.
UNESCO Committees’ meetings
Between 28 and 31 May 2018, Ms Marina Schneider, UNIDROIT Senior Legal Officer and Treaty Depositary, participated in the 6th Session of the Subsidiary Committee of the Meeting of States Parties to the 1970 Convention and the 21st Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its Countries of Origin or its Restitution in case of Illicit Appropriation (ICPRCP), held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.
-> Intergovernmental Committee
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Ms Marina Schneider, UNIDROIT Senior Legal Officer and Treaty Depositary |
Conference on the illegal trafficking of cultural goods
On 23 May, Ms Marina Schneider, UNIDROIT Senior Legal Officer and Treaty Depositary, was invited by Ms Sabine Verheyen and Mr Arndt Kohn, currently serving as Members of the European Parliament, to a Conference on the illegal trafficking of cultural goods, held at the European Parliament (Brussels). Mr Pierre Moscovici, European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs, representatives of UNESCO, WCO and the art market also attended the debate.
On that occasion, the new proposal for Regulation on the import of cultural goods in the European Union was also discussed.
-> Programme
Preserving Cultural Heritage for International Peace and Security
On 10-11 May 2018, UNIDROIT participated in a two-day workshop for militaries on “Preserving Cultural Heritage for International Peace and Security” held in Rome (Italy) and organised by the Italian Center for Higher Defence Studies, the country’s highest-ranking study institution in the field of managerial training, and security and defense studies.
From left to right : Professor Samuel Hardy from the American University of Rome;
Professor Manlio Frigo from the University of Milan; UNIDROIT Senior Legal Officer and Treaty
Depositary, Ms Marina Schneider and Professor Deborah Scolart from Tor Vergata University of Rome.
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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.
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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.
-> Programme
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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.
-> Programme
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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 |