Steps taken to fight illicit trafficking of cultural properties |25 July 2019

Delegates during the opening session of the workshop yesterday

The department of culture and the Unesco regional office is organising a three- day technical workshop to increase awareness about the Unesco 1970 convention on the means of prohibiting and preventing the illicit import, export and transport of ownership of cultural property.

The workshop, which started yesterday at the Coral Strand Hotel, Beau Vallon,

is being attended by representatives from different sectors from the culture department, the national history museum, Seymas, SCAA and customs.

“This capacity building workshop provides a platform for discussion among national actors from museums, police, customs, archives and libraries, art professionals, representative of law enforcement and so on. It is a sincere hope that this workshop will equip a whole wide variety of key stakeholders in Seychelles with knowledge, skills and network to fight illicit trafficking of cultural property through prevention corporation and restitution,” said Julienne Barra, the general director of the department of culture.

Ms Barra also thanked Unesco for its financial and technical support.

Under the 1970 Convention, cultural property is under protection. Cultural property includes anything of scientific, historical, artistic, and or religious significance.

“The workshop will look at the 1970 convention, we have brought our different partners and stakeholders to discuss the issues of concern to help us tackle concerns regarding illicit trafficking,” said Beryl Ondiek, director of the national museums.

She added that during these three days they will be brainstorming ideas to have a policy to use as a working tool to combat illicit transport, export and import.

“In Seychelles we have cases were people have tried to smuggle out cultural goods, but stakeholder’s are unaware what these artefacts and cultural goods are,” said the director.

She noted that it will be through these trainings that the stakeholders will be made aware of what is categorised as a cultural artefact and which one is a souvenir.

“It is very important for Seychelles to protect its cultural properties, that is why we brought together the police, customs agents and people from the museums so they can work together to eradicate illicit trafficking as well as protect the country’s cultural properties,” said Karalyn Monteil, representative from Unesco.