Protecting Asia's Heritage, Strategies for Fighting Illicit Traffic of Cultural Property

Last week there was a two-day international symposium on "Protecting Asia's heritage, strategies for fighting illicit traffic of cultural property and fostering restitution" held in Kathmandu (Nepal). The symposium titled was organised by UNESCO and the Nepalese Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. The aim was to exchange knowledge on the state of illicit trafficking of cultural items in South Asia, the status of the implementation of international legal frameworks and best practices on preventive measures and restitution processes, and challenges in establishing a system to identify and locate cultural properties. Recommendations were also made on the best use of international legal tools and frameworks, and customary laws and provisions on strategies for the return of cultural properties:

The event brought together about 100 experts from various sectors related to cultural-heritage preservations and included 20 speakers from the South Asian region and UNESCO headquarters in Paris, Interpol, the World Customs Organisation and other regional organisations. Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Ram Kumar Shrestha said illicit trafficking of cultural properties poses a huge threat to Nepal and other nations, and the meeting hoped to seek ways to curb this situa

South Asian Cultural Experts Exchange Ideas On Preservation Of Cultural Heritages, Bernama Dec 18