Syria and Iraq: Culture at Risk. Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Goods – 31/03/2017, Stockholm (Sweden)

In the footsteps of war and unrest, antiquities are being looted from ancient sites and museums. These objects are sold illegally on a growing international market. This trade is a strong threat to proper documentation of our cultural heritage and helps finance terrorist groups. The National Museums of World Culture, Sweden and the Swedish National Commission for UNESCO—together with The Swedish National Heritage Board and ICOM Sweden—have now launched an awareness campaign to shed light on illegal trade, and to prevent it from gaining a foothold in Sweden. The campaign is connected to UNESCO’s global campaign #Unite4Heritage.

Within the framework of the campaign, UNESCO and The National Museums of World Culture, Sweden have organized a symposium on March 31, 2017 including lectures and panel discussions with leading international experts in cultural heritage research. You will hear about global initiatives and networks against illegal trade, as well as challenges and ethical dilemmas in research on cultural objects. You will also hear how Swedish legislation and antiques market relate to the problem.

Location: Medelhavsmuseet (Stockholm, Sweeden)

Organizer: The National Museums of World Culture, Sweden; the Swedish National Commission for UNESCO

Program:  También disponible en PDF /Also available in PDF/ anche disponibile in PDF

 Speeches:

Global Trafficking in Looted Antiquities: Christos Tsirogiannis, Affiliate Researcher, Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research, University of Glasgow

International Conventions and UNESCO Initiatives: Maria Miñana, UNESCO, Paris

’Every battalion’ and everybody else: looting and trafficking of antiquities from Syria and Iraq: Samuel Hardy, American University of Rome & the UCL Institute of Archaeology, UK

Countering Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Objects in Germany: A New Legal Framework and Transdisciplinary Research: Markus Hilgert, Vorderasiatisches Museum im Pergamonmuseum, Berlin

For further information, see also Unite4Heritage