Author: Parker Blackwell

The UN’s New Five-Year Agenda for Cultural Property Crime

Posted on by Parker Blackwell

The Abu Dhabi Declaration commits countries to disrupt trafficking networks, prosecute offenders, and strengthen international cooperation.

The fight against cultural property crime achieved an important milestone at the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, held in Abu Dhabi.

The UN Crime Congress only convenes every five years, bringing governments, law enforcement, international organizations, and civil society together to shape the global crime prevention and criminal justice agenda. This year, cultural property crime was a priority.

The Antiquities Coalition joined UNODC, UNESCO, Europol, the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, and Lebanon on September 30, 2026 for a dedicated discussion on combating the trafficking and exploitation of cultural property. Bringing together NGO, IGO, law enforcement, and Member State perspectives, the session underscored the need for sustained international cooperation.

Critically, the Congress adopted the Abu Dhabi Declaration, which includes a dedicated commitment to cultural property crime in:

“Countries pledge to disrupt trafficking networks; address the links between cultural property crime, organized crime, and terrorist financing; prosecute those involved; and strengthen mutual legal assistance, extradition, and restitution to countries of origin.”

The mandate has never been clearer. The next five years provide an opportunity to turn multilateral commitment into global results by disrupting the networks behind cultural property trafficking, following the money, strengthening investigations and prosecutions, and improving cross-border cooperation.

The Antiquities Coalition is grateful to our co-sponsors and partners and looks forward to working with Member States and international partners to advance the commitments made in Abu Dhabi.

Read the Abu Dhabi Declaration, here.

Learn more about UNODC’s work to combat trafficking in cultural property, here.

Preserving Ukraine’s Cultural Freedom: Strengthening International Support

Posted on by Parker Blackwell

Antiquities Coalition Joins 2026 Ukraine Action Summit to Advance Coordinated Response

Ukrainian cultural heritage remains a deliberate target of efforts to undermine the country’s identity and sovereignty. The destruction, looting, and exploitation of cultural heritage are not only attacks on buildings and objects—they are attacks on Ukraine’s people and their right culture.

Keeping culture at the forefront of international support for Ukraine remains essential.

On September 12, Antiquities Coalition Policy Advisor Steve Epstein joined the panel “Preserving Cultural Freedom in Ukraine” at the Fall 2026 Ukraine Action Summit, a day-long gathering focused on civic advocacy and strengthening the nationwide community supporting Ukraine.

The panel brought together heritage professionals, including from НеМо: Ukrainian Heritage Monitoring Lab and the Penn Cultural Heritage Center, to reflect on the tremendous efforts of Ukrainian cultural institutions and their international partners, while identifying ways to sustain and strengthen support for the country’s cultural sector.

The Antiquities Coalition was proud to participate in the summit and to witness the breadth of U.S. support for Ukraine. Sustaining that support requires recognizing that cultural heritage is an integral part of Ukraine’s national identity, sovereignty, and future.

Strengthening International Cooperation

Preserving Ukraine’s cultural freedom is an ongoing effort that requires cooperation across the cultural heritage, law enforcement, legal, intelligence, and national security communities.

Dr. Epstein shared with the delegates to the Action Summit the results of a NATO sponsored initiative convened by the Antiquities Coalition and Ukraine’s Raphael Lemkin Society to examine how cultural heritage exploitation supports Russia’s military and political objectives. Made possible by NATO’s Science for Peace and Security Programme, the initiative began with a 2025 workshop in Bassano del Grappa, Italy, bringing 35 international experts from 11 NATO and partner countries together with Ukrainian colleagues Together, experts examined cultural looting and destruction, disinformation, and the misuse of the art market to evade sanctions—establishing how attacks on cultural heritage intersect with broader security threats facing the Alliance.

In the coming months, the initiative’s findings will be published in a forthcoming NATO SPS volume, A NATO Agenda for Cultural Security: Countering Russia’s Exploitation of Cultural Heritage in Ukraine and Beyond.

Want to learn more? Read the press release about the 2025 NATO SPS workshop.

In the News: ICIJ Highlights the Case for Proactive Museum Repatriation

Posted on by Parker Blackwell

Returning looted cultural heritage can advance justice, strengthen international partnerships, and help build a more ethical global museum network.

The Antiquities Coalition was recently featured by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) in a new investigation examining a persistent problem in American museums: the slow pace of acknowledging and investigating objects with suspicious or incomplete provenances.

The ICIJ feature challenges museums to ask fundamental questions about the objects in their collections: Where did these objects come from? How did they get here? Who do they belong to?

Many museums have taken important steps by partnering with law enforcement to identify and return objects known to have been trafficked through criminal networks, including those operated by notorious traffickers Subhash Kapoor and Douglas Latchford. Yet objects connected to these same networks remain in major American collections.

In March 2023, ICIJ and Finance Uncovered revealed that the Metropolitan Museum of Art held more than 1,100 objects previously owned by collectors who had been indicted or convicted of antiquities crimes. More recently, following the seizure of additional objects from its collection, the Met has surrendered an estimated $95 million worth of looted antiquities.

The scale of these cases points to an important reality: changing the art market may be costly, but maintaining the status quo comes at a far higher price. As Antiquities Coalition Executive Director Tess Davis told ICIJ:

“The museum appears to be waiting for a US prosecutor or foreign government to come knocking, with proof beyond a reasonable doubt. The question should not be whether the highest legal burden has been met, but whether these objects belong in one of the world’s greatest museums.”

Museums have the expertise and influence to lead the way toward a more ethical art market. Rigorous provenance research, transparency, and proactive collaboration with law enforcement and source countries can strengthen public trust while protecting our shared cultural heritage.

This is also a matter of justice. The removal of cultural objects from communities around the world—often during periods of conflict, political upheaval, and trauma—has lasting consequences. Returning these objects can restore justice, signal good faith, and create new opportunities for international cultural exchange.

Repatriation does not mean removing cultural heritage from the American public. It can open the door to a fairer, more transparent global museum network in which institutions can share collections through legitimate loans and partnerships. The institutions that embrace accountability today will help define the ethical standards of tomorrow. Museums should not wait for prosecutors or foreign governments to force action. They can—and should—take the initiative to understand the histories of the objects they steward and address credible evidence of wrongdoing.

Read the full ICIJ feature, here.

Safeguarding Heritage and Securing the Global Market: Antiquities Coalition Joins Global Leaders in Rome to Prevent Art Crime

Posted on by Parker Blackwell

Executive Director Tess Davis contributes to high-level workshops and the “Rome Statement on Art Market Integrity”

Crimes involving art and antiquities pose major national security threats to countries globally. 

Recognizing these clear dangers, on June 4–5 in Rome, the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) hosted a gathering of international organizations, financial supervisors, law enforcement agencies, and private sector stakeholders to create actionable solutions to secure the global art market. 

The workshop, “Balancing the Protection of Cultural Heritage and the Prevention of Financial Crime,” resulted in the formal adoption of the “Rome Statement on Art Market Integrity.” This landmark document outlines non-binding conclusions designed to drive global awareness, supercharge international cooperation, and establish unified best practices. 

Crucially, the Statement declares that the traditional separation between heritage protection and financial crime prevention is an outdated model. Moving forward, global actors should harmonize existing international standards—linking anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) frameworks directly with cultural property protection protocols.

As observed by the Antiquities Coalition Financial Crimes Task Force, the art market can serve as a lucrative vehicle for money laundering, sanctions evasion, and terrorist financing. Sophisticated criminal networks routinely exploit regulatory blind spots—directly undermining global financial stability and international security.

By actively aligning standards across the art and finance fields, the international community safeguards our shared heritage while ensuring the integrity of global financial systems.

Executive Director Tess Davis was honored to attend and contribute to these discussions. Reflecting on the event, Davis remarked. 

“The “Rome Statement” underscores a powerful truth: as long as criminals exploit art and artifacts, we cannot protect our heritage without securing the modern markets that trade it. It’s past time that financial regulators and cultural experts see each other as partners in the fight.”

Read the “Rome Statement on Art Market Integrity,” here.

See the UNIDROIT press release to learn more about the workshop’s proceedings, here.

To learn more about past Antiquities Coalition initiatives to encourage responsible market and trade practices, visit the Financial Crimes Task Force, here.

Cambodia Reclaims Sacred Khmer Treasures in Landmark Repatriation

Posted on by Parker Blackwell

Manhattan DA Acknowledges Antiquities Coalition in Latest Recovery

On June 9, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office Antiquities Trafficking Unit announced the return of three looted Khmer sculptures to the Kingdom of Cambodia, marking another important victory in the fight to recover cultural treasures lost to looting.

The successful recovery of these sculptures highlights the indispensable role of dedicated law enforcement units in disrupting illicit trafficking networks. Through painstaking provenance research and investigations into trafficking operations, the Antiquities Trafficking Unit continues to set a global standard for cultural property protection and asset recovery.

Among the returned objects is a sacred Guardian Deity stolen from Koh Ker, the ancient capital of the Khmer Empire. Investigators traced the sculpture to trafficking networks associated with the notorious art dealer Douglas Latchford, whose decades-long smuggling operation funneled hundreds of looted Cambodian antiquities into the international art market and major museum collections.

The repatriation also includes a rare 7th-century sandstone lintel depicting Kāla, a powerful Hindu figure associated with time and destruction, carved in the distinctive Thala Borivat style of northern Cambodia. In addition, authorities recovered a 7th-century sandstone head of Harihara, a composite deity uniting Vishnu and Shiva, which had been trafficked out of Cambodia decades ago and was ultimately surrendered to investigators earlier this year.

The return underscores the continuing challenge of recovering stolen cultural heritage and dismantling the trafficking networks that profit from it. While significant progress has been made, many important Cambodian artifacts remain missing.

These sculptures are more than works of art; they are sacred cultural treasures that embody Cambodia’s history, religious traditions, and national identity. Their return helps restore an important part of the country’s cultural legacy.

These latest returns build on years of investigations and bilateral cooperation. The Antiquities Coalition, a longstanding partner in the fight against heritage crime, is honored to support law enforcement, government authorities, and cultural heritage experts working to bring looted antiquities home.

Read the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office official announcement to learn more about the recovery, here.

Major Press Coverage of The Man Who Stole the Gods Shines New Light on Cambodia’s Stolen Past

Posted on by Parker Blackwell

AC co-hosts talk with author Matthew Campbell on the Latchford network and the human cost of cultural racketeering

The Antiquities Coalition was proud to co-host, with New America, a discussion featuring journalist and author Matt Campbell on his new book, The Man Who Stole the Gods. The event brought together experts, advocates, and members of the public for an important conversation about one of the most consequential antiquities trafficking cases of the modern era: the Douglas Latchford network.

Campbell’s book traces how antiquities dealer Latchford built a vast network to funnel looted Cambodian antiquities through the global art market, and into prominent private collections and major museums.

During the event, Campbell, journalist Peter Bergen, and AC Executive Director Tess Davis explored the scale and persistence of Latchford’s criminal enterprise and the lasting harm it inflicted on Cambodia and its people.

The speakers agreed, deep-dives like The Man Who Stole the Gods are essential to help policymakers, law enforcement, museums, and the public better understand the human costs of antiquities trafficking and the need for stronger safeguards. Far from victimless crimes, acts of cultural racketeering can devastate communities, erase history, and fuel armed conflict and instability.

Much of Latchford’s pillage has been linked to the Khmer Rouge, the regime responsible for one of the twentieth century’s worst genocides. Understanding how these “blood antiquities” entered the international market is essential to recognizing the broader security, ethical, and human consequences of cultural racketeering.

With this investigation comes an opportunity for recovery. Latchford’s network placed looted Cambodian antiquities into respected institutions across the United States and beyond. American museums have an opportunity to identify additional trafficked objects, partner with law enforcement, and support the return of cultural heritage to the people of Cambodia.

The Antiquities Coalition remains committed to advancing public awareness, supporting rigorous investigation, and promoting solutions that protect cultural heritage from criminal exploitation. Greater transparency and continued scrutiny of trafficking networks like Latchford’s are essential to accountability, justice, and the protection of our shared cultural heritage.

Find more information on The Man Who Stole the Gods, here.

Watch a recording of the full discussion, here.

Russian Air Strikes on Cultural Sites Underscore the Weaponization of Heritage

Posted on by Parker Blackwell

Antiquities Coalition Calls for Accountability Following Attacks on Ukrainian Cultural and Religious Sites

The Antiquities Coalition condemns the continued targeting of Ukraine’s cultural heritage as part of Russia’s ongoing war of aggression. The destruction and damage of cultural and religious sites not only threatens irreplaceable monuments and collections, but also undermines the Ukrainian right to culture and national identity. These attacks exemplify how cultural heritage is being exploited as a weapon of war.

Russia intentionally targeted Ukrainian cultural and religious centers in air strikes on June 15, 2026. Among those damaged are structures in the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra complex; the Mystetskyi Arsenal National Cultural, Art, and Museum Complex; the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Film Studio and costume collection; the Kharkiv Art Museum; and the House of Organ and Chamber Music in Dnipro.

Part of the Kyiv Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings complex, the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra is one of Ukraine’s most significant spiritual and cultural landmarks. In 2022, UNESCO added the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra to its List of World Heritage in Danger. “This would be equivalent to bombing Notre-Dame…” remarked French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.

The intentional targeting of Ukraine’s historical and cultural landmarks is a violation of numerous international conventions, including the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, international humanitarian law, and the World Heritage Convention.

For more information, see official statements issued by UNESCO and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). For additional documentation on this and past attacks, follow the work of organizations like НеМо: Ukrainian Heritage Monitoring Lab.

As documented by Ukrainian and international monitoring organizations, these attacks form part of a broader pattern of damage to and destruction of cultural heritage throughout Russia’s full-scale invasion. The Antiquities Coalition joins partners around the world in calling for accountability for violations of international law and for the protection of cultural heritage in times of armed conflict.

Want to learn more about our efforts to support Ukrainian partners?

Visit the Ten Most Wanted Missing Antiquities List to help find the missing Mariupol Bull Figurine, an 8,000-year-old Neolithic carving, looted during Russia’s 2022 siege of Ukraine, here.

Read how the Antiquities Coalition and Raphael Lemkin Society are partnering to help NATO counter the weaponization of cultural heritage, here.

Revisit the op-ed, “The return of looted antiquities should be part of any Ukraine peace settlement” by AC Chairman and Founder Deborah Lehr, here.

U.S. Embassy Hosts Regional Workshop on Combating Cultural Property Trafficking

Posted on by Parker Blackwell

Manila, May 13, 2026—The U.S. Embassy in the Philippines convened law enforcement officials and cultural heritage specialists from ASEAN member states for the workshop “Combating Cultural Property Trafficking in Southeast Asia” held from May 5 to 8 at the Ayala Museum in Makati City.   Funded by the U.S. Department of State and hosted in the Philippines during its ASEAN Chair Year, this program strengthens the national security of the United States and ASEAN member states by enhancing regional cooperation to disrupt criminal networks and terrorist organizations that steal and sell artifacts to finance organized crime and criminal activities. 

“When cultural objects are stolen, communities lose part of their history and identity.  Cultural property trafficking is closely tied to transnational organized crime, and in some cases, to terrorist financing.  Groups like ISIS have used the sale of antiquities to generate revenue, turning cultural heritage into a tool for violence and instability,” U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., Y. Robert Ewing said in his opening remarks.  “Strong relationships between investigators, prosecutors, and cultural experts are essential.  The United States stands with ASEAN partners in this effort.  Together, we can disrupt these networks and protect the cultural heritage that defines this region,” he added. 

Throughout the four-day workshop implemented by U.S. non-profit organization Antiquities Coalition, 20 participants from across Southeast Asia learned about the scope and complexity of cultural property trafficking in the region; the links between antiquities trafficking and financial crimes; approaches to strengthen coordination across agencies within their governments; and how to engage international, regional, and national legal instruments that govern the protection of cultural property. 

Antiquities Coalition Executive Director Tess Davis warned that cultural trafficking persists due to the art market’s global reach, high value, and weak regulation.  “This is not a problem any country can solve alone.  This trade harms cultural heritage, local communities, and national economies,” Davis said.  “That is why partnership between the United States and ASEAN matters so much.  It is fitting that we are gathered in a country whose cultural heritage is among the richest in the region.” 

Representatives from the U.S. Department of State, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Customs and Border Protection, and Homeland Security Investigations presented American approaches to investigating and prosecuting cultural property crimes.  They highlighted the value of Cultural Property Agreements—bilateral agreements between the United States and partner countries that prevent trafficked artifacts from entering the United States. 

By the end of the workshop, participants examined their respective countries’ cultural heritage protection frameworks and developed a roadmap for sustained cooperation between ASEAN nations, the United States, and other stakeholders to combat the illicit antiquities trade. 

This workshop builds on a high-level U.S.-ASEAN meeting on cooperation to combat cultural property trafficking held in Jakarta in April and aligns with U.S. efforts to secure Cultural Property Agreements with countries across the region.  The issue spans all three pillars of the ASEAN Community—socio-cultural, economic, and security—making U.S.-ASEAN cooperation essential to safeguarding cultural heritage, protecting tourism and local economies, and strengthening regional security. 

Criminal syndicates and terrorist organizations generate millions of dollars by looting temples, archaeological sites, and museums across the world, then selling stolen objects on the international market to finance terrorist groups and organized crime—the same networks that engage in drug trafficking, money laundering, and armed conflict.  U.S. law enforcement has led global efforts in this fight, recovering over 2,500 trafficked items between 2011 and 2023 tied to the Kapoor network and valued at more than $143 million, and securing the largest-ever forfeiture of $12 million tied to trafficker Douglas Latchford, whose activities affected countries across Southeast Asia.

Press Release by U.S. Embassy in Manila, accessible at https://ph.usembassy.gov/u-s-embassy-hosts-regional-workshop-on-combating-cultural-property-trafficking/.

Antiquities Coalition Reveals the 2026 Looks vs. Loot

Posted on by Parker Blackwell

The Met says “Fashion is Art,” but is protecting art still in fashion?

On the first Monday in May, the steps of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) serve as a pedestal for celebrities and cultural tastemakers, draped in the latest creations from the leading names in fashion. This year’s dress-code, “Fashion is Art,” fittingly celebrates the museum’s role as a steward of some of the world’s most significant artistic and cultural treasures. 

And yet, behind many of the masterpieces inspiring tonight’s looks are histories of colonial plunder, armed conflict, and organized crime.

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists has identified more than 1,000 objects in the Met’s catalog tied to alleged traffickers and looters, few of which the museum has publicly addressed. Art is in fashion. Is accountability?

Against this backdrop, the Antiquities Coalition launches its fourth annual Looks vs. Loot campaign, in which we pair red-carpet looks with repatriated antiquities from the Met. Over the past year, the museum has continued to return contested objects, publicly announcing restitutions to countries including Greece, Italy, Spain, and Türkiye. 

In several of these cases, the Met has paired restitution with partnership. In September 2025, for example, the museum announced the return of a Sumerian Vessel Stand with Ibex, dating to circa 2600–2350 BCE, following in-house provenance research that determined it belonged to the Republic of Iraq. Alongside a repatriation ceremony, the Met and Iraq embarked on a collaborative research project, presenting restitution as an opportunity for shared international scholarship. 

However, the Met faces ongoing scrutiny over objects in its collection associated with alleged traffickers or with unclear provenance. The 2025 reopening of the Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, housing the Met’s collections from Africa, the ancient Americas, and Oceania, has prompted wider public discourse over the museum’s collections and curation, with some critics viewing the discussions of provenance research as deflective or performative.

The glamour of the Met Gala risks overshadowing the red flags the museum still hasn’t addressed. Transparency remains an ongoing challenge: public information on restituted objects is minimal and proves difficult to locate on the museum’s website. By disclosing restitution information and publishing regular data, the museum could better show that its commitment to addressing its collection is being matched by meaningful and proactive action.

Step aside, stars. It’s time to put institutional accountability center-stage.

United States and ASEAN Partners Deepen Cooperation to Combat Cultural Property Trafficking

Posted on by Parker Blackwell

Jakarta, Indonesia — The U.S. Department of State, in partnership with the Antiquities Coalition, convened a high-level U.S.-ASEAN event, “Safeguarding Southeast Asia’s Heritage: Strengthening ASEAN–U.S. Cooperation to Combat Cultural Property Trafficking,” April 8-9 in Jakarta.  The two-day conference brought together senior officials, law enforcement representatives, diplomats, legal experts, and scholars from across Southeast Asia and the United States to strengthen cooperation against illicit trade in cultural objects.

In opening remarks, U.S. Embassy Jakarta Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Peter M. Haymond said, “The theft and trafficking of cultural objects is not an abstract issue.  It harms real communities, erodes trust in institutions, and strengthens the hands of criminals.  Protecting cultural heritage is, therefore, about much more than preserving the past.  It is about defending our borders, our citizens, and the rule of law today.”

Director General of Cultural Diplomacy, Promotion, and Cooperation at the Indonesian Ministry of Culture Endah T. D. Restnoastuti said, “Safeguarding cultural heritage is a shared responsibility to future generations. Indonesia remains committed to working with ASEAN Member States and partners in advancing this agenda.”

Deborah Lehr, Chairman and Founder of the Antiquities Coalition, noted,

“Safeguarding cultural heritage is not only about preserving the past—it is about securing the future.  These objects embody the identity, creativity, and shared history of communities, offering a sense of unity and belonging that cannot be replaced.  When they are looted, countries are robbed not only of their heritage, but of the opportunities—cultural, social, and economic—that come with it. Strengthening partnerships like those between the United States and ASEAN is essential to ensuring that heritage remains a source of pride and prosperity for generations to come.”

Over two days, participants examined the scale and evolving nature of the illicit trade in cultural property in Southeast Asia, including how traffickers exploit archaeological sites, religious institutions, and post conflict environments.  They also discussed the role of the global art market and financial systems in either enabling or deterring trafficking, and how stronger due diligence, provenance research, and regulatory frameworks can reduce demand for looted objects.  Drawing on lessons from successful repatriations and investigations in Cambodia, Indonesia, and across the region, the program highlighted how coordinated action by governments, law enforcement, museums, and civil society can recover important cultural objects and dismantle criminal networks.

A significant focus of the discussions centered on the use of Cultural Property Agreements (CPAs) between the United States and partner countries to prevent the import of looted cultural objects.  Experts and officials outlined how CPAs have helped countries protect their heritage, supported law enforcement efforts, and signaled international recognition of the importance of safeguarding cultural property.  Participants examined the process of negotiating and implementing these agreements, including legal requirements, interagency coordination, and long-term obligations, and considered how more ASEAN member states might benefit from this framework.

U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. to ASEAN Joy M. Sakurai closed the program by highlighting how this cooperation reinforces national and regional security.  “Close U.S.-ASEAN cooperation to combat cultural property trafficking is crucial to disrupting the financial networks of transnational criminal groups and preventing art collectors and other consumers from unwittingly supporting illegal activities.  We look forward to advancing this work here in Jakarta and next month in Manila,” CDA Sakurai said.

Looking ahead, organizers and participants anticipate that this event will serve as a catalyst for more formalized cooperation between the United States and ASEAN on combating cultural property trafficking.  

Raising Awareness of National Legal Frameworks for Cultural Property Protection in East Africa

Posted on by Parker Blackwell

On April 1, the Antiquities Coalition and the American Society of International Law (ASIL) hosted a webinar that convened experts from the Federal Republic of Somalia, Sudan, Mozambique, and Uganda to discuss current efforts to combat cultural racketeering in the region. 

The dialogue built on the first installment of the webinar series focusing on the fight against illicit antiquities trafficking in East Africa, with Transparency Advocacy, a Uganda-based organization combating organized crime and corruption. The panelists demonstrated the overall necessity for greater legal capacity-building across the region, highlighting country-specific challenges and stressing that while international and regional frameworks can be valuable, they do not always translate into effective national implementation or fully accommodate local community needs. 

Panelists included: H.E. Abdirahman Abshir, Director of the Legal and Treaties Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MFAIC); Ali Nour, Cultural Heritage Emergency Response & Grants Management Specialist; Filipe Alage, Consultant for Cultural Heritage Protection; and Frederik Nsibambi, Deputy Executive Director at the Cross-Cultural Foundation of Uganda (CCFU). Together, they introduced East Africa’s national and regional legal frameworks regarding cultural property protection while emphasizing the importance of collective action against the illicit trade in East African archaeological and ethnographic materials.

On behalf of Somalia, H.E. Abdirahman Abshir spoke about the importance of expanding and improving inventory projects, establishing clear ownership frameworks, and strengthening international cooperation in heritage protection.

Despite the remarkable protection efforts of heritage professionals in Sudan, Ali Nour raised concerns about Sudan’s fragmented legal landscape and operational failures. Nour emphasized the urgency of ratifying international cultural property treaties, noting that waiting until conflict arises to ratify is ineffective and harmful.

Mozambique’s Filipe Alage expanded on H.E. Abdirahman Abshir’s commentary on the challenges of limited inventories and spoke on recent updates to Mozambique’s national law, which have given customs and heritage officials the authority to inspect and seize objects lacking proper provenance documentation. 

Deputy Executive Director of Cross-Cultural Foundation of Uganda, Frederik Nsibambi conveyed the importance of locally-tailored policy, given Uganda’s highly diverse cultural landscape. Nsibambi emphasized research and documentation as the strongest forms of emergency preparedness.

Steps Forward

  • Expanding national cultural property inventories and databases. 
  • Ratifying international conventions to close operational gaps: Many countries in the region have not yet ratified the 1954 Hague Convention (Second Protocol, 1999), the 1970 Convention, and the 1995 UNIDROIT Convention. In Uganda, efforts to implement the 1970 UNESCO Convention are underway.
  • Strengthening international cooperation amongst governments and law enforcement to advance the fight against illicit cultural property trafficking. 

The Antiquities Coalition commends the active leadership of the panelists and thanks the American Society of International Law for co-sponsoring this webinar on raising awareness. 

A recording of the webinar is available online, here. 

Want to learn more? Read Cultural Racketeering in East Africa: Local Leaders Call for Global Solidarity and Action.

AC Executive Director Tess Davis Shares Insights in New UNESCO Online Training Targeting Cultural Property Crime

Posted on by Parker Blackwell

Heritage professionals, legal experts, and policymakers united to confront one of the most urgent threats to our shared past: the illicit trafficking of cultural property. In March 2026, UNESCO launched a new massive open online course (MOOC), “Preventing Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Property.”

Together leading experts from law enforcement, heritage protection, and international policy addressed the growing recognition that antiquities trafficking is not merely a cultural issue—it is a serious transnational crime. Cultural racketeers target the world’s richest archaeological sites, museums, and historic collections for financial gain, cooperating across borders and taking advantage of weak enforcement environments, created by conflict or political instability. 

To combat the illicit trade in art and antiquities, UNESCO’s new course explores key elements for law enforcement, the judiciary, and heritage professionals:

  • International legal frameworks addressing crimes involving cultural property
  • Criminal behavior targeting archaeological sites and museums, particularly in conflict or post-conflict settings where security is fragile
  • Practical tools and strategies to safeguard cultural heritage and prevent illicit trafficking

AC Executive Director Tess Davis was honored to contribute to the course, providing expert insights into how criminals exploit cultural heritage for financial gain.

Over the past two decades, awareness of the dangers posed by cultural racketeering has grown significantly. What was once often viewed as a niche issue within the heritage sector is now widely recognized as a matter of international security and economic integrity.

Governments, international organizations, museums, and civil society groups have responded with new initiatives, stronger laws, and expanded partnerships. These efforts include improved border enforcement, enhanced due diligence standards in the art market, and greater coordination among law enforcement agencies.

Yet the fight against illicit trafficking remains an ongoing challenge. Criminal networks continue to adapt, and many heritage-rich regions still lack the tools needed to effectively monitor sites, investigate crimes, and prosecute traffickers.

Capacity-building initiatives such as this are essential for strengthening expertise across institutions and borders, effectively transforming awareness into action. The Antiquities Coalition commends UNESCO for developing this important program and advancing international cooperation to protect cultural heritage. 

Learn more about the course and enroll through UNESCO’s Open Learning Platform:
 https://openlearning.unesco.org/courses/course-v1:UNESCO+CLT_001+2025_T1_ENG/about