The committee of the 1970 UNESCO Convention draws up recommendations and guidelines to increase the capacity of member states to combat the illicit trade in cultural property, and discusses other issues related to the protection and return of cultural assets.
Estonia will be represented on the committee by the experts of the National Heritage Board of Estonia – Signe Friedenthal, adviser on art heritage, and Nele Kangert, adviser on archaeological finds.
“As a border country of the European Union, Estonia often comes into contact with objects of cultural value that have reached us through other countries. That is why the 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property and its legal framework and international cooperation network are of the utmost importance to us,” said Friedenthal.
“Estonia is also part of the global art and antiques market through online auctions and sales platforms. The Convention will help raise awareness among both dealers and collectors and prevent the illicit circulation of cultural objects,” Friedenthal added.
For Estonia, the Convention is an important tool, on the basis of which, for example, it returned to Ukraine archaeological finds seized at the Luhamaa border crossing last year. A total of 274 items included coins from ancient and medieval times, as well as gold and silver objects. After the objects were seized, assessed and conserved, it was determined that they were rare objects illegally excavated from Ukrainian territory.
There are a total of 18 countries on the committee. Along with Estonia, the newly-elected members include Greece, Switzerland, Colombia, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, and Lebanon. The members of the committee are elected for a term of four years.
