The fight against illicit traffic and the return of cultural property: fundamental aspects of UNESCO’s mandate

As issues surrounding the return of cultural properties command worldwide media attention and debate, UNESCO continues to call on States and art dealers to cooperate in a spirit of respect for cultural heritage, particularly when it concerns religious beliefs and human remains.  The 16th 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 is convened in that perspective. 

• UNESCO’s 1970 Convention: Fortieth Anniversary Celebration
• UNIDROIT’s 1995 Convention: Experience and Effectiveness
• The Intergovernmental Committee: 16^th Session from 21 to 23 September 2010
• Training Workshops: Regional and local initiatives throughout the world
• UNESCO Database of National Cultural Heritage Laws:  2300 legislative texts from 180 countries
• Combating illicit traffic in cultural objects: « UNESCO and its partners at work », a video reference document  (17’)

Further reading:

• Witnesses to History : a reference work on the return and the restitution of cultural property
• Museum International nr 241-242 : Return of Cultural Objects: The Athens Conference
• Proceedings of the Expert Meeting and of the Extraordinary Session held in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its Countries of Origin or its Restitution in case of Illicit Appropriation,  Seoul, Republic of Korea, November 2008 
• Commentary on the 1970 UNESCO Convention, P.J. O’Keefe
• Commentary on the UNIDROIT’s 1995 Convention, L.V. Prott 
• UNESCO Manual: Legal and Practical Measures Against Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property (available in six languages)