UNESCO Convene Workshop to Combat Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Property Amid
Mohamed Mandour
As illicit trafficking of cultural property continues to escalate be exacerbated in regions affected by conflict and instability, UNESCO—together with the Egyptian authorities—will host an high-level Interregional Capacity-Building Workshop on the Fight Against Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Property from 16 to 18 April 2025 at Cairo.
Supported by the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund (HEF) , the workshop aims to equip law enforcement agencies, judicial authorities, and cultural professionals from across the Arab States and Northeast African regions with the tools, knowledge on the existing, tools, measures and international legal frameworks necessary available to prevent the theft, looting, illegal trade, and destruction of cultural heritage in times of crisis.
This technical workshop training, organized by UNESCO, organized by UNESCO Regional Office in Cairo and UNESCO HQ in Paris, will bring together over 80 participants from 10 countries—Central African Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, South Sudan, Sudan, and the State of Palestine—in addition to leading key UNESCO experts partners in this field - such asfrom INTERPOL, UNIDROIT, UNODC and, ICOM. The organizers gratefully acknowledge the support and commitment of the Egyptian authorities in hosting this meeting in Cairo.
Opening remarks will be delivered by Dr. Nuria Sanz, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for Egypt and Sudan , alongside with Mrs. Krista Pikkat, Secretary of the 1970 Convention, Director for Culture and Emergencies at UNESCO, and representatives from the Egyptian authorities.
The workshop will begin with a comprehensive overview by Ms. Krista Pikkat, Secretary of the 1970 Convention, Director for Culture and Emergencies at UNESCO, of the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, the key legal instrument in the fight against the illicit trafficking of cultural property, as well as its associated mechanisms and the tools developed by the Organization in this field . and its complementarity with the 1995 UNIDROIT Convention, presented by Mrs. Marina Schneider, Principal Legal Officer and Treaties Depositary at UNIDROIT.
Participants will delve into national and regional challenges in implementing these conventionstheir legal frameworks, with a special session highlighting Egypt's leading efforts in port control and the repatriation of antiquities. Case studies will also explore special investigation techniques, the use of INTERPOL's ID-ART application, and the importance of community-based and youth-led initiatives in preventing heritage crimeto fight against this scourge.
A key feature of the workshop is the focus on Sudan and the State of Palestine. , whose rich invaluable cultural legacies remain especially vulnerable to trafficking due to ongoing conflicts and geopolitical instability.
Parallel sessions will assess legal and operational challenges, explore specificities of movable heritage, and propose action-oriented solutions to safeguard at-risk cultural assets.
Over the three days, the workshop will offer a mix ofcombine interactive dialogues, practical exercises, and scenario-based training to reinforce participants' operational capacities.
In the final session, participants will work in sub-groups to draft concrete protocols and define next-step priorities for improving regional coordination and response mechanisms.
By strengthening capacities and fostering cross-border cooperation, this initiative advances the goals of the 1970 Convention, and contributes to its implementation and UNESCO's broader mission of protecting and safeguarding cultural diversity and human historyheritage in all its forms around the world.
The organizers gratefully acknowledge the support and commitment of the Egyptian authorities in hosting this meeting in Cairo.
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