Specialized Course on Cultural Heritage, Crime and Security: Protecting our Past to Invest in our Future, 9-13 June 2025, Online

Globally, cultural heritage faces an increasing threat of destruction, not only due to the natural process of decay, but also due to political, security and social factors. Wars, political instability and economic recessions pose significant challenges to the protection and conservation of cultural heritage, together with the looting and trafficking by single enterprises or organized criminal groups. Over the years, the number of international crimes related to the looting and trafficking of cultural heritage property has significantly grown. Moreover, their links to international criminal activity, including the use of assets to finance terrorist activities, are becoming more evident year by year. The correlation between the illicit trade of cultural artifacts and terrorism poses an additional multifaceted threat to peace, security, and cultural diversity worldwide. The magnitude and gravity of these new dangers calls for the entire international community to take an urgent and firm stance for the protection of cultural heritage. 

The protection of cultural heritage is one of the targets of Goal 11 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda through which countries have pledged to “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.” In particular, Target 11.4 aims to “strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.”