Antiquities Coalition Joins Regional Experts in Cairo to Support UNODC Mission Against Cultural Racketeering
October 30, 2025
Last week, Antiquities Coalition Executive Director Tess Davis spoke at a two-day working group meeting on Mapping Trafficking in Cultural Heritage in the Middle East: Trends, Conflict-Driven Vulnerabilities, and Regional Responses. The convening, hosted by the Arab Republic of Egypt in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and with support from the UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), was held at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo.
Together, regional and international experts discussed the growing threat of antiquities trafficking, which enables transnational organized crime and terrorism, and which strips countries of valuable cultural heritage.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) highlighted:
“With globally increased recognition of the transnational crime elements in cultural property trafficking, UNODC’s role comes to the fore: as guardian of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC). UNODC supports member states in implementing crime prevention and justice responses, and in facilitating broad international cooperation to counter such crimes.”
A criminal justice approach is crucial for combating the transnational threats underlying cultural racketeering. Collaboration between international and regional partners is an essential milestone in the journey towards protecting cultural heritage for all.
Learn more about how the UN is advancing stronger criminal justice responses to cultural racketeering.
Read the UNODC Press Release, here.