How Can Museums Better Safeguard Our Cultural Heritage?
May 19, 2022
A Global Dialogue In Honor of International Museum Day
Global events have made attacks on our cultural heritage more prevalent and unrelenting than ever. With the illegal trade and unethical collection of art and artifacts threatening our history, there are steps that can be taken to help mitigate the illicit trade of our cultural heritage.
The protection of our cultural heritage hinges on how governments, law enforcement, museums, and responsible players in the art market respond to the increased attacks on our shared history.
Museums, in particular, have an opportunity—and responsibility—to support the legal and ethical collection of ancient art and artifacts, use their platforms to educate the public on the illicit trade, and work with the private sector to protect themselves, global markets, and our shared world heritage from criminals who seek to exploit it for their own gain.
On May 19, the Antiquities Coalition joined the China-Europe-America Global Initiative for a global dialogue exploring the vital responsibility of museums in the fight against cultural racketeering. “The Second Dialogue: Protection of Our Cultural Heritage” featured international leaders in government, the arts, business, and more in discussions about how we can work together to better safeguard our history.
With 31 speakers from 10 countries, this event showcased the dangers of cultural racketeering to our history, human rights, national economies, and global security.
The Antiquities Coalition’s Chairman and Founder, Deborah Lehr, and Executive Director, Tess Davis, spoke at the event on behalf of the AC. Their remarks stressed the critical need for joint international action to send a strong message against the illicit trade in antiquities.
The Antiquities Coalition was proud to cooperate on this event and thanks the China-Europe-America Initiative for its leadership in the fight against antiquities trafficking around the world.
Learn more about the event from the CEA here.
Follow our website for updates on insights from this important event.