Think Tank Charts Course to Strengthen G20 Cultural Policy
December 2, 2024
New Policy Brief from the Antiquities Coalition Details How the Culture Working Group Can Better Protect World Heritage
Culture is fundamental to both social and economic development—a fact now recognized by the highest levels of national government, the United Nations, and most recently, the Group of 20 (G20).
The G20’s 19 member states and two regional bodies (the European Union and African Union) account for at least 90% of the global art market, as well as 85% of the global GDP and over 75% of global trade. Given these statistics, and its status as the premier international economic cooperation forum, the G20 is in a unique position to harness the full power of culture.
A new policy brief from the Antiquities Coalition’s Think Tank seeks to support the G20 in this mission. Emeritus Professor Ian Lilley, past Secretary-General of the International Committee on Archaeological Heritage Management (ICAHM) and an internationally renowned leader in the field, puts forward 5 specific recommendations for the G20’s Culture Working Group (CWG). These include concrete steps the task force can take to protect culture, such as combating the illicit antiquities trade, as well as better incorporating preservation in sustainable development strategies. Lilley’s proposals build on those developed earlier by the Antiquities Coalition in their 2021 report, Safeguarding Cultural Heritage in Conflict Zones: A Roadmap for the G20.
The 2020 Saudi Arabian Presidency marked the first time that culture was added to the G20 agenda. The next year, Italy launched the CWG, composed of representatives from Member States, partner nations, and relevant organizations. Also in 2021, a ministerial meeting in Rome established the group’s priorities, including fighting cultural racketeering, sharing information and technology, and supporting countries in crisis. The subsequent Presidencies of Indonesia (2022), India (2023), and Brazil (2024) have continued and expanded the CWG, while reinforcing its work through a series of summit and ministerial declarations—many of which are in line with the 2021 Antiquities Coalition report.
However, despite this progress, there is much that remains to be done. As Lilley argues, “the foundations of the G20’s approach need to be strengthened to ensure its commitments to the protection of cultural heritage can be effectively translated to action on the ground.” His recommendations come as the G20 kicks off the 2024 Rio de Janeiro summit, which will take place November 18–19, and follows Brazil’s Cultural Ministerial on November 8. The latter resulted in the Salvador da Bahia Declaration, which reaffirmed the CWG commitment to preservation and specifically “strengthening the fight against crimes committed against cultural heritage and cultural institutions.”
Lilley’s timely brief builds on these recent outcomes, charting a course for the future by offering actionable steps to strengthen and implement the G20’s cultural policies and ensure their impact.
For a summary and link to the policy brief, click here.
To read Salvador da Bahia Declaration, click here.
To check out the AC’s work with the G20, click here.