AC Joins Other Experts in Qatar to Explore Solutions for Strengthening Legal Frameworks
September 13, 2024
The Antiquities Coalition was grateful to participate in The Third Doha Workshop to Combat Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Heritage: Strengthening the Legislative and Legal Framework and Building Institutional Capacities, hosted by the Qatar National Library (QNL), and the US, Italian, and French Embassies in Doha.
The only U.S. NGO in attendance, the Antiquities Coalition was strongly represented at the event by Executive Director Tess Davis and Director of Programs Helena Arose. Davis and Arose joined distinguished speakers over the course of one week, and presented on different aspects of the legal framework to fight cultural racketeering:
- The illicit trade in art and antiquities is, first and foremost, a crime. Executive Director Tess Davis addressed how, nationally and internationally, we must take better advantage of existing laws and conventions combating corruption, fraud, money laundering, sanctions evasion, and terrorist financing. Pursuant of a whole-of-UN approach, she recommended the harmonization of UN treaties, such as those overseen by UNESCO and UNODC, UN Office on Drugs and Crime.
- Director of Programs Helena Arose presented on soft law as well as other policies, such as declarations, principles, and resolutions, which are not legally binding, but can help address gaps in the current legal framework for protecting cultural heritage, drawing from her own work at the AC. She concluded her talk with a recommendation to optimize soft law tools to build momentum for legal change, while filling the gaps in existing policy.
AC-led discussions complemented themes across the conference, which highlighted trends in legal implementation and adaptation–namely, the challenges and progress made in tailoring 20th century French laws for modern Middle Eastern contexts. All speakers noted that the framework has flaws: inconsistent translation into Arabic, gaps in the criminalization of illicit antiquities trade, and overall lack of region-specific law enforcement and judiciary tools.
Poor understanding creates poor policy. Dedicated, interdisciplinary research into existing legal frameworks and evolving problems is essential to ensure that policymakers account for the needs of local and international communities.
Learn more about the conference here.