Admin, Author at Antiquities Coalition

Think Tank Makes Recommendations for Protecting Culture Under Threat from Globalization and Environmental Destruction

Posted on March 9, 2022March 21, 2022 by Admin

New Antiquities Coalition Policy Brief Examines a Potential Legal Remedy to Help Victims Seek Justice

In the newly released Antiquities Coalition Think Tank publication, Haydee Dijkstal, United Kingdom Barrister and experienced United States attorney working in the area of international criminal law, addresses the fact that the crimes within the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction only provide a remedy for actions against cultural heritage perpetrated during conflict or war.

However, the destruction of cultural heritage is often caused by activities associated with globalization, which are outside of the context of an armed conflict recognized under international law. Through numerous examples, Dijkstal highlights the importance of accountability for the destruction of cultural heritage outside an armed conflict, and the way in which the crime against humanity of deportation may provide the necessary avenue for victims.

Dijkstal recommends that “in cases where industrial projects or natural resource extraction causes harm or destruction to land integral to the culture of those living on it and, in turn, forces these communities from the land, the crime against humanity of deportation or forcible transfer could be explored as a potential avenue for accountability.”

For a summary and link to the policy brief, visit: https://thinktank.theantiquitiescoalition.org/how-can-cultural-heritage-threatened-by-globalization-and-environmental-destruction-be-protected-looking-to-the-crimes-against-humanity-of-deportation-or-forcible-transfer-as-a-potential-legal-remed/

The AC Interviews Dr. Leslye Obiora on U.S., Nigeria’s Cultural Property Agreement

Posted on February 16, 2022February 16, 2022 by Admin

On January 20, 2022, U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria Mary Beth Leonard and Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed signed a bilateral cultural property agreement, committing both countries to combating the illicit trade.

This agreement closes U.S. borders to illegally acquired or exported Nigerian antiquities. By partnering with the United States, the world’s largest art market, Nigeria’s cultural heritage will enjoy stronger protections, while at the same time, American consumers will also be protected from unknowingly buying stolen property. The partnership will ideally cut down the global demand for illicit cultural items from Nigeria and return some already lost to their rightful home

The AC spoke with Dr. Leslye Obiora, Professor of Law at the University of Arizona to learn more about the benefits of this agreement.

Can you give an overview of the recent Cultural Property Agreement between the United States and Nigeria, and explain why it is important?

The Cultural Property Agreement between the United States and Nigeria is intended to strengthen bilateral cooperation to advance shared interests and to accomplish the following main objectives:

Facilitate robust collaboration between U.S. and Nigerian federal law enforcement and border control agencies to identify, intercept, repatriate, and protect cultural and heritage property.
Promote the exchange of archaeological materials for scientific, cultural, and educational purposes with the aim of increasing public awareness for Nigerian cultural heritage.

This agreement is a major milestone in global efforts and partnerships to preserve, restore, and protect diverse categories of cultural heritage from pillage and trafficking. The United States ratified the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. The US implements its obligations under this Convention through the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act (CPIA), 19 U.S.C. §§ 2601-2613. This legislation authorizes the President of the United States to enter into bilateral Cultural Property Agreements (CPA) with other State Parties to the 1970 UNESCO Convention. The CPA is administered by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs through the Cultural Property Advisory Committee (CPAC). In 2020, Nigeria requested a Memorandum of Understanding for import restrictions to protect its rich and diverse cultural property. The CPAC reviewed and recommended Nigeria’s request for approval. This process culminated in the recent adoption of the Cultural Property Agreement.

Nigeria has a rich cultural heritage. Can you give us some examples and explain why Nigerian cultural heritage needs protections like the CPA?

As the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, observed cogently at the signing ceremony of the CPA, the rich tapestry of Nigeria’s cultural heritage is exemplified by the unique Nok terracotta dating back to the fifth century B.C. and the incomparable bronzes that once decorated the Royal Palace of the Kingdom of Benin.

There are intrinsic, instrumental, and constructive values in protecting cultural and heritage property from illicit trade. The international human rights agenda protects the Nigerians’ right to culture, individually and collectively. Similarly, heritage property are a global public good. From an instrumental perspective, protecting and preserving cultural heritage through cultural property agreements promote stability, economic development, good governance, inter alia. Constitutively, the CPA contributes to enable environment and deepen opportunities for international learning, exchange, and cooperation. The global dialogue heightened by the continuing returns of the Benin Bronzes corroborate the enormous value of promoting cultural diplomacy and capture the growing grassroots conditions galvanizing the momentum for such dialogue in ways that compel State Parties to fulfill their treaty obligations. While the CPA is a major achievement, it is notable that it was signed more than half a century after the 1970 UNESCO Convention came into existence.

The AC Interviews Ols Lafe, Albanian Cultural Heritage Specialist

Posted on February 8, 2022February 8, 2022 by Admin

On August 23, 2021, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Matthew Lussenhop and Albanian’s Minister of Culture Elva Margariti signed a bilateral cultural property agreement, committing both countries to combating the illicit trade.

This agreement closes U.S. borders to illegally acquired or exported Albanian antiquities. Moreover, it will open new opportunities for responsible cultural exchange between the two nations, such as traveling exhibitions and museum loans.

For more insight into the benefits of this agreement, we spoke to Dr. Ols Lafe, Director of the Center for the Development of Ancient and Medieval Albanian Heritage (CDAMAH), a scientific research center based at the state university “Aleksandër Moisiu” in Durrës, Albania.

Can you give an overview of the recent Cultural Property Agreement between the United States and Albania, and explain why it is important?

The recently signed CPA between Albania and USA is of utmost importance regarding the ever increasing issue of illegal circulation of cultural objects from their original context. Albania, has already a negative record regarding the loss of objects and such agreements add value to the government objectives of protecting the heritage of the country. This agreement above all, enables US authorities to send back to Albania any items that may originate from Albania and ensure smooth coordination regarding such issues in the future.

Albania has a rich cultural heritage. Can you give us some examples and explain why Albanian cultural heritage should be protected?

Albania’s rich heritage is well-known to researchers but not so much to visitors. From the UNESCO sites of Butrint, Gjirokastra, Berat and Ohrid Lake to the Illyrian, ancient Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman sites dotting the country’s landscape, Albania has a lot to offer to both academic research and cultural tourism. Nevertheless, the period which followed soon after the collapse of the communist regime, also brought irreparable damages to this heritage, with countless lost objects stolen from museums, as well as the beginning of the illegal excavations and subsequent loss of objects coming from these excavations.

The phenomenon persists, and it’s even getting more intense in rural areas, with metal detectors widely used and in cases heavy digging machinery is involved. The Ministry of Culture is not able to cope with the phenomena, and the Albanian Police despite their willingness are able to trace only a few cases of wrongdoing and address them to the Prosecution Office. Many other cases go unnoticed due to the lack of territorial control, lack of equipment and training to tackle the phenomena. It is hoped that through such agreement the situation may improve given the fact that staff has to be trained to interact with requests originating from a partner country such as USA and be able to provide in a timely manner the respective needed information.

CPAs help facilitate legal cultural exchange. Can you share some examples of US/Albania joint projects, excavations?

There are many common projects and excavations between Albania and US based research institutions.

The first American research project in Albania was an investigation of Konispol Cave, co-directed by Karl Petruso (University of Texas, Arlington) and Muzafer Korkuti (Institute of Archaeology, Tirana). The first large-scale American project was the Mallakastër Regional Archaeological Project (MRAP) at the Greek colony of Apollonia, co-directed by Jack Davis (University of Cincinnati), Sharon Stocker (University of Cincinnati), Michael Galaty (University of Michigan), Muzafer Korkuti and Skender Muçaj (Institute of Archaeology, Tirana).

Investigations at Dyrrachium-Epidamnus (an ancient Greek city in Illyria founded in the 7th century BC by colonists from Corinth and Corcyra) were co-directed by Davis and Stocker together with Iris Pojani and Afrim Hoti (Institute of Archaeology, Tirana). The Bonjaket Temple excavations, which emerged from MRAP, were codirected by Davis, Stocker, Pojani, and Vangjel Dimo. Michael Galaty also co-directed the Shala Valley project together with Ols Lafe (Institute of Archaeology, Tirana) and Zamir Trafilica (Historic Museum Shkoder). The Projekti Arkeologik i Shkodres, codirected by Michael Galaty (University of Michigan) and Lorenc Bejko (University of Tirana), aimed to curtail destruction and looting of burial mounds. Sarah Morris (UCLA), John Papadopoulos (UCLA), and Albanian colleagues have directed an excavation of the Lofkënd tumulus (an early Iron Age burial mound).

How can people in the US learn more about Albania and Albanian cultural heritage?

It would be good to support on an annual basis the travel of Albanian experts to the US, especially to attend annual meetings of the Archaeological Institute of America, the Society of American Archaeology as well as supporting them to lecture in American universities with an interest in the Mediterranean and a focus in Albania. By making available the information for funding applications to Albanian experts, we as well are supporting them to come in touch with respective institutions may be one of the possible solutions to directly disseminating the reality of Albanian cultural heritage research at the heart of America’s leading researchers and programs.

Certainly there are instruments in place for longer periods of study and residence such as the Fulbright, but quicker methods such as described above may function better. Also, inviting US scholars to visit Albania, and decide if they want to engage in research here may be another way of getting to know the country and presenting it better abroad.

AC Founder Featured on Al Jazeera’s The Bottom Line

Posted on January 7, 2022January 26, 2022 by Admin

With outdated conventions and international laws on looting antiquities, the limitations on trafficking predate the prevalence of the internet as a hub for cultural racketeering by decades. In a new interview with Al Jazeera, Deborah Lehr weighs in on the role that the online world, art dealers, and corrupt practices play in the illicit trade. Host Steve Clemons also interviews Shawnee State University Professor Amr al-Azm on his efforts towards curtail the global trends of looting that leads to antiquities trafficking in the West. Watch the interview here>>

AC Executive Director Commends the Impact of Pandora Papers Expose

Posted on January 6, 2022January 26, 2022 by Admin

With the aftermath of the release of the Pandora Papers still fresh in the minds of the public, many politicians and public figures continue to face the music as leaders of peoples and nations “scramble to hold onto their jobs,” write Michael Hudson and Will Fitzgibbon for ICIJ.

The global conversation on tax havens and financial crimes has been forever changed by the new information brought to light by the largest-ever ICIJ investigation, released in October of 2021. With world leaders such as the president of Cyprus and the finance minister of Brazil being implicated in monetary crimes, a growing number of white-collar criminals are finally being brought to face the consequences of their actions.

According to Tess Davis, the Executive Director of the Antiquities Coalition, the overarching approach to public policy has generally deemed cultural racketeering “as a white collar and victimless crime – if it treated it as a crime at all.” The work done by the group of investigative journalists to produce the Pandora Papers “do much to correct this false narrative,” with the high-profile and deeply-reported nature thereof.

“The Pandora Papers exposé confirmed that bad actors are exploiting the multibillion dollar art market, using legal loopholes to traffic artifacts, launder money, and hide ill-gotten gains,” said Tess Davis, executive director of the Antiquities Coalition.

Work from the group of journalists behind the ICIJ and Washington Post expose can be found here.

Stay tuned as more articles, opinion pieces, and news items are released as the impacts of the Pandora Papers continue to unravel.

The Pandora Papers: AC Mentioned in Series of News Articles

Posted on November 3, 2021December 13, 2021 by Admin

In light of the release of the Pandora Papers and exposes by a group of investigative journalists, the AC has been featured and mentioned in recent news articles. In the Guardian‘s “Offshore loot: how notorious dealer used trusts to hoard Khmer treasures,” Tess Davis, the Executive Director of the Antiquities Coalition, was featured for her comments on the lack of accountability being taken by museums for their potential participation in the illicit trade:

Tess Davis, the executive director of the Washington-based Antiquities Coalition, who has extensively researched Douglas Latchford and Cambodian looting networks, says that with a few exceptions, the response of museums worldwide has been “deafening silence”.

The Guardian wrote more on Latchford, the late art dealer, and the whereabouts of his infamous collection in an article on Australian galleries and in a feature on the successful repatriation of Cambodian relics.

Artnet News wrote on the issue as they explored how the leak of the Pandora Papers brought to light revelations on the channels through which dealers like Latchford could sell antiquities from Cambodia. Their feature on the Denver Art Museum’s repatriation of Cambodian antiquities represented the values of the city’s gallery, making a statement on accountability as a model to other museums. The Met followed suit as they launched a review of 45 pieces of art about which “new information” had come to light, as reported by Artnet News.

The New York Times reported on Cambodia’s call for the return of a series of antiquities currently in possession of the Met in New York City, stating they were looted from Khmer heritage sites.

The Art Newspaper revealed the wide range of museums that are alleged to hold antiquities that were looted or trafficked by antiquities dealer Douglas Latchford, as well as the call for repatriation of the relics to their heritage sites in Cambodia.

Hyperallergic looked into the Pandora Paper’s reports on the use of offshore accounts to trade looted antiquities, many of which can be found on display at the Met and the British Museum.

ABC News Australia stated that other actors were involved, too: an art dealer based in Sydney worked with Latchford as the Aussie dealer attempted to conduct online sales without disclosing the relics’ connection to the notorious cultural racketeer.

The Colorado Sun wrote more on the work being done by the Denver Art Museum to ensure that all ties to art looters and traffickers are being cut off. The explanation of Cambodia’s history and how conflict has left cultural heritage sites vulnerable to theft brings to light the importance of repatriation and ethical sourcing of art.

Business Insider revealed that the connection between Latchford and the British Museum had been ongoing since the early 1970s. The author states that “dozens” still remain in their collections, as well as in the possession of the Met museum in New York City.

Stay tuned for more news updates as the Pandora Papers continue to unravel.

Recommendations Urge G20 to Strengthen Global Policy on Illicit Antiquities Trade

Posted on October 28, 2021May 24, 2022 by Admin

Report Details 9 Concrete Steps to Protect Cultural Heritage and the Legitimate Art Market from Criminal Misuse

Rome, Italy, 28 October 2021: Today, an international coalition of experts released Safeguarding Cultural Heritage in Conflict Zones: A Roadmap for the G20 to Combat the Illicit Trade in Cultural Objects. This evidenced-based report puts forward nine specific recommendations to strengthen global policy against the looting and trafficking of cultural objects, a transnational crime closely linked to war and terrorism. Its publication comes as the G20 begins its annual Summit in Rome, where for the first time, heads of state and government will gather to close loopholes in the $50 billion international art market—still the largest unregulated market in the world.

Today’s report seeks to support the G20 in this important work. It highlights risks posed by the illicit trade through a case study illustrating how armed groups plundered ancient sites in Syria and then laundered cultural objects into unsuspecting global marketplaces. More importantly, based on lessons learned from Syria’s tragedy and others, it calls for new policies, priorities, and practices to be considered by the G20, its Member States, and the private sector as they work together to support the communities victimized by this transnational crime. The report was developed by leading experts and is being published online by the Antiquities Coalition, a not-for-profit organization and non-partisan think tank, in collaboration with Heritage for Peace.

Under the Italian Presidency, the G20 has prioritized making culture part of the post-COVID recovery, as well as incorporating it into the institution’s broader work to secure economic integrity and transparent markets. Protecting history and heritage from the illicit trade, as well as other major threats such as climate change, is an identified pillar of this broader mission. To that end, on 29-30 July in Rome, Italian Minister of Culture Dario Franceschini brought together the G20 Member States for a cultural ministerial meeting, part of a series of high-level events on the illicit trade that led up to this week’s G20 Summit, which is also being held in the Eternal City.

“We commend the Italian Republic and the G20 for making this issue part of its agenda,” said Deborah Lehr, Chairman and Founder of the Antiquities Coalition. “Such leadership is needed to ensure that grave robbers, tomb raiders, and art smugglers do not succeed in a post-COVID world—especially at a time when so many legitimate collectors, dealers, and museums are now facing underserved financial hardship.”

While looting is a problem as old as the pyramids, the pandemic has given the G20’s focus added urgency. COVID-19 has cost the art world billions in losses, but at the same time, auctions have continued to set record prices. Moreover, some high-risk areas of the market, like loaning money against art or antiquities as collateral, are skyrocketing even as others shut down. And, although lockdowns have shuttered above board dealers, galleries, and auction houses, the international black market has stayed wide open for business, with archaeological watchdogs warning that online sales are skyrocketing.

Safeguarding Cultural Heritage in Conflict Zones: A Roadmap for the G20 to Combat the Illicit Trade builds on the Antiquities Coalition’s 2016 and 2020 independent task force reports and research by our partners commissioned by the U.S. Department of State and European Commission. It also seeks to reinforce the important work already done by intergovernmental organizations, national governments, the private sector, and academia. The full report is available on the Antiquities Coalition’s website at theantiquitiescoalition.org.

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About the Antiquities Coalition

To protect our shared heritage and global security, the Antiquities Coalition is leading the international campaign against cultural racketeering, the illicit trade in ancient art and artifacts. We champion better law and policy, foster diplomatic cooperation, and advance proven solutions with public and private partners worldwide. We are working toward a future when the past is preserved for the next generation, not looted, smuggled, and sold to finance crime, conflict, and terror.

theantiquitiescoalition.org

About Heritage for Peace

Heritage for Peace (Syria) is an NGO whose mission is to support heritage workers as they protect their collections, monuments and sites during armed conflict. As an international group of heritage workers we believe that cultural heritage, and the protection thereof, can be used as a common ground for dialogue and therefore as a tool to enhance peace. Currently our efforts are focused on Syria, where the ongoing conflict has damaged World Heritage sites, threatened museums, bombed libraries, and led to an epidemic of looting of cultural artefacts. Heritage for Peace is impartial in the conflict; our programs are focused on training heritage professionals and other interested parties to deal with the unique challenges of protecting cultural collections, monuments and sites during armed conflict.

heritageforpeace.org

The Pandora Papers: AC Featured in the Washington Post

Posted on October 25, 2021December 13, 2021 by Admin

The Washington Post explores the impact of the Pandora Papers after their release, thanks to their collaboration with a team of investigative journalists.

Following the release of the Pandora Papers, the Washington Post reached out to Tess Davis, Executive Director of the Antiquities Coalition, for her expert opinion. An article highlights a study of nearly 30 years of auctions at Sotheby’s published by Davis found that 70% of the relics sold had no listed ownership history. These numbers display the indifference and even ignorance museums and art buyers often hold towards evidence of artifact theft.

Highlighting the fact that many museums have been complicit in supporting looting and trafficking, the investigative journalists have brought to light the problem of cultural racketeering around the world. One of the notorious art dealers who played a large role in the illicit trade was the late Douglas Latchford, an antiquities dealer known for funding the looting and trafficking of Cambodian relics.

“Accusations against Latchford … have been a matter of legal record for nearly 10 years now,” said Tess Davis, a lawyer, archaeologist and the executive director of the Antiquities Coalition, an organization that campaigns against the trafficking of cultural artifacts. “Museum leaders have had more than enough time to do the right thing. Instead, there is deafening silence.”

Though Latchford alleged countless times that his actions were in the name of reverence for Khmer, he supported and profited from decades of ransacking of Cambodian heritage sites. The looting and trafficking of these ancient relics has been found to be one of the “most devastating cultural thefts of the 20th century,” according to the Washington Post. However, museums have yet to take serious action to take accountability for purchasing from and, effectively, funding the actions of cultural racketeers.

“The Met owed it to Cambodia — and itself — to do a full and public accounting of its Khmer collection then. That didn’t happen,” Davis said. ”There has still been no full and public accounting from the Met. It’s never too late to do the right thing, but what is the Met waiting for at this point?”

Explaining the Expose: The AC Interviews Angela Chiu on the Pandora Papers

Posted on October 22, 2021November 3, 2021 by Admin

On October 3, 2021, The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) published a groundbreaking investigation of millions of leaked documents that revealed stunning financial secrets and offshore dealings of world leaders, politicians, and billionaires from around the globe, better known as the Pandora Papers.

One of the actors targeted in the expose is Douglas Latchford, the notorious antiquities trafficker indicted in 2019 for dealing in stolen art and artifacts. This investigation uncovers how Latchford and his family set up trusts in tax havens shortly after he was linked to looted antiquities, and used trusts and offshore accounts to store antiquities.

The expose is a must-read, deeply reported investigation that destroys so much of the false narrative that glorifies Douglas Latchford and the antiquities trade. The loopholes exposed threaten not just nations such as Cambodia, or even our world heritage, but the responsible market and the global financial system.

To begin to break down this astounding case, we spoke with Angela Chiu, an independent scholar with a PhD in Southeast Asian art history who has conducted extensive research on the Asian antiquities trade.

Think Tank Makes Recommendations for British Government to Close a Gateway for Illicit Cultural Property

Posted on October 21, 2021May 24, 2022 by Admin

New Antiquities Coalition Policy Brief Analyzes the UK’s decision to Repeal the EU Import Regulation in Great Britain and prevent the resulting risk of Northern Ireland becoming a gateway to Europe for illicit cultural property

The Antiquities Coalition today released a Policy Brief that examines the UK’s recent decision to repeal the EU Regulation on the Introduction and the Import of Cultural Goods (EU 2019/880) in Great Britain. Author Fionnuala Rogers argues that the repeal creates a gateway to Europe for illicit cultural property through Northern Ireland, where the regulation still applies, and that the UK must take immediate steps to mitigate that risk.

“The objectives of the Regulation are both urgent and necessary, namely to safeguard humanity’s cultural heritage and prevent the illicit trade in cultural goods, particularly where such illicit trade could contribute to terrorist financing.” Rogers adds, “The objective of the UK should be to strike a balance between prevention of illicit trafficking and maintaining a legitimate art market, while trying to streamline requirements, procedures and practices across the UK as much as possible when it comes to import.”

This paper makes a series of recommendations to encourage the UK to rationalize its regulatory approach, meet its international commitments, and to set a leading example for other art market countries in cultural heritage protection.

Fionnuala Rogers is a leader in the field of cultural property. Rogers is an art and cultural property lawyer, and founder and director of the specialist art and heritage law firm, Canvas Art Law Ltd. She is Chair of the United Kingdom Committee of the Blue Shield and member of the Blue Shield International Illicit Trafficking working group.

For a summary and link to the policy brief, visit: https://thinktank.theantiquitiescoalition.org/following-the-uks-repeal-of-the-eu-import-regulation-in-great-britain-will-northern-ireland-become-a-gateway-to-europe-for-illicit-cultural-property-recommendations-for-the-uk-to-mitigate/

The United States and Bahrain: Strengthening Bilateral Ties to Fight Against the Illicit Trade in Cultural Property

Posted on October 20, 2021October 20, 2021 by Admin

The United States and Bahrain: Strengthening Bilateral Ties to Fight Against the Illicit Trade in Cultural Property

Join Us Live for a Stimulating Discussion with Leaders in Culture and Government

On October 28, join the Antiquities Coalition, in collaboration with the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities and the U.S. Department of State, for a live webinar on the critical role of culture in global security, national economies, and foreign diplomacy. Internationally recognized leaders in government and the arts, from both the United States and Bahrain, will discuss challenges to combating cultural property crimes, as well as shared principles that support responsible cultural exchange.

This webinar will take place on Zoom with simultaneous interpretation into English and Arabic. Distinguished speakers include:

HE Shaikha Mai AlKhalifa, President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA), Kingdom of Bahrain
Dr. Mounir Bouchenaki, Special Advisor to the Director-General of ICCROM and Special Advisor to the Director-General of UNESCO
Dr. Richard Kurin, Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar and Ambassador-at-Large, Smithsonian Institution
Matthew Lussenhop, Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau Of Educational And Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State

More About the Discussion

Both the U.S. and Bahraini governments have warned that the illicit trade in art and artifacts is a threat to international peace and security due to its financing of organized crime, armed conflict, and violent extremism. The Middle East and North Africa, with its rich and diverse history, has much to lose from this cultural racketeering. Daesh has made frontpage headlines for its pillage of the Cradle of Civilization, but experts continue to warn that antiquities looting and trafficking is funding Daesh in Libya, Al Qaeda and the Houthi militias in Yemen, and, farther afield, the Taliban in Afghanistan. Moreover, this terrorist financing often goes hand-in-hand with money laundering and other financial crimes, to which the art market is also particularly vulnerable, as well as targeted cultural destruction.

The United States is in a unique position to make a difference, as it remains the world’s largest art market, making up 42% of the global total. However, with the creation of new and prominent museums, a booming art market, and a strong push for cultural tourism, the Gulf States are quickly becoming key players. In particular, with strong ministerial leadership from the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, Bahrain has achieved significant strides in heritage conservation and serves as the headquarters for the Arab regional Centre for World Heritage which provides support to 19 Arab countries towards the promotion and management of cultural and natural sites. With its close global ties and effective regional diplomacy, the Kingdom is well positioned to become a leader in the global fight against the illicit trafficking of art and artifacts.

More About Our Esteemed Panelists

HE Shaikha Mai AlKhalifa, President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA), Kingdom of Bahrain

A leading figure in the Arab World for her work in the field of culture, HE Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al-Khalifa has spearheaded national efforts to develop the cultural infrastructure in the Kingdom of Bahrain for heritage conservation and the growth of sustainable tourism. The President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, HE Shaikha Mai is the foremost public expert in the field, holding the unique portfolios of the Ministry for Culture & Information and then the Ministry for Culture. As the founder of the Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Center for Culture and Research and Chair of its Board of Trustees since 2002, she works actively to foster culture and preserve the traditional architecture of Bahrain. It was to this end that she launched the nation-wide ‘Investing in Culture’ initiative, building an unprecedented partnership between the private and public sectors for heritage preservation. Her vision and leadership have resulted in a worldwide recognition of the Kingdom’s historic and cultural significance and the listing of three Bahrain sites on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

HE Shaikha Mai holds an MA in Political History and is the author of seven books. She is recipient of many distinguished awards including; ‘Légion d’Honneur’ (2008) and ‘Knight of Légion d’Honneur’ from the French Government (2011), ‘Noble Honour’ for being a distinguished international personality in the field of Ideology and Culture by a royal decree from His Majesty Muhammad Al-Sadis, King of Morocco (2010), ‘Colbert Prize for Creativity and Heritage’ (2010), and ‘Watch Award’ by the World Monuments Fund (2015). She has also been nominated ‘Special Ambassador of the International Year of Sustainability for Development 2017’ (2017-2019) by the World Tourism Organization and ‘Arab Heritage Personality of 2019’ by the Arab Tourism Media Centre in 2019. She currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the World Monument Fund.

Dr. Mounir Bouchenaki, Special Advisor to the Director-General of ICCROM and Special Advisor to the Director-General of UNESCO

Dr. Mounir Bouchenaki has had a 25-year career in UNESCO as Assistant Director-General for Culture; Director of the Division of Cultural Heritage; and Director of the World Heritage Centre. He was Director-General of ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property) from 2005 until 2011. He is also a past-Director of the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage. Currently, Mounir Bouchenaki is acting as Special Advisor to the Director-General of ICCROM and Special Advisor to the Director-General of UNESCO. He contributed between 2013 and 2017 to the launching of a UNESCO category II Centre, ‘The Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage based in Bahrain’.

Matthew Lussenhop, Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau Of Educational And Cultural Affairs

Matthew Lussenhop joined the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary (PDAS) in July 2019. He is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, and has served his country as a Foreign Service Officer since 1990. Prior to his arrival at ECA, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) at the Embassy of the United States to the Kingdom of Belgium, August 2016-June 2019, including 18 months as Chargé d’affaires. From 2013-2016, he was the DCM at the U.S. Embassy to the Kingdom of Morocco, including ten months as the Chargé d’affaires. Mr. Lussenhop previously served in ECA as a Senior Advisor for Policy from 2011-2013.

Mr. Lussenhop has served in the field of public diplomacy and strategic communications in numerous posts overseas, including Public Affairs Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan from 2010-2011. Other overseas assignments include positions at U.S. embassies in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Kuwait; Muscat, Oman; Rabat, Morocco; Sofia, Bulgaria; and Manila, Philippines. In Washington, DC, Mr. Lussenhop has served in the State Department’s Bureau of Near East and North African Affairs, and as Director of Public Diplomacy Training at the Foreign Service Institute.Mr. Lussenhop is the recipient of multiple State Department Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards. He speaks Arabic and French, and is a native of Minnesota and a summa cum laude graduate of the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.

Moderated by Dr. Richard Kurin, Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar and Ambassador-at-Large, Smithsonian Institution

Dr. Richard Kurin is the Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar and Ambassador-at-Large, the first person so designated in the 171-year history of the Institution. Prior to his current role, Kurin served as Acting Provost and Under Secretary for Museums and Research from 2015, and from 2007, as Under Secretary for History, Art, and Culture. Kurin served on the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO and helped draft an international treaty, now ratified by 170 nations, to safeguard living cultural heritage. He led efforts to save heritage in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake and has overseen projects for saving heritage endangered by natural disaster in Nepal and the U.S., and by human conflict in Mali, Egypt, Iraq and Syria. Kurin serves as Smithsonian liaison to the U.S. President’s Committee for the Arts and the Humanities and the White House Historical Association, and is a member of the U.S. Department of State Cultural Heritage Coordinating Committee.

The Pandora Papers: AC Quoted in ICIJ’s Expose

Posted on October 13, 2021December 13, 2021 by Admin

The ICIJ’s expose is a must-read, deeply reported investigation that destroys so much of the false narrative that glorifies Douglas Latchford and the antiquities trade. The journalists reached out to Tess Davis, the Antiquities Coalition’s Executive Director, for comments and insight on how the illicit trade has been influenced and maintained by cultural racketeers like Douglas Latchford.

“Accusations against Latchford … have been a matter of legal record for nearly 10 years now,” said Tess Davis, a lawyer, archaeologist and the executive director of the Antiquities Coalition, an organization that campaigns against the trafficking of cultural artifacts. “Museum leaders have had more than enough time to do the right thing. Instead, there is deafening silence.”

The investigative journalists behind this expose also drew insight from Davis and a colleague, Angela Chiu, who is a scholar of Asian art. Her interview with the Antiquities Coalition on the impact of the Pandora Papers on the art and antiquities trade can be found here. Follow here to read more on the Pandora Papers as news comes out.