The Ministry of Culture has concluded two specialized training modules as part of the Experts Program, aimed at qualifying specialists in the Conventions and Programs of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The two workshops, which focused on the 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export, and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, and the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, were attended by 19 participants, including 15 participants from the Kingdom and 4 international participants. The training program on the 1970 UNESCO Convention was delivered remotely by Pernille Askerud, a UN and UNESCO Consultant, and Etienne Clément, Professor and International Lawyer. Several subject matter experts on the Convention, including Marina Schneider, Sophie Delepierre, Marc-André Renold, and Jack Tsen-Ta LEE, also joined the program sessions. The workshop provided an overview of the 1970 UNESCO Convention and familiarized participants with the objectives, principles and obligations of the States Parties, national implementation methods, law enforcement techniques and international cooperation mechanisms. The program shed light on the procedures and tools adopted by UNESCO and other organizations to combat illicit trafficking in cultural property within national, regional and international contexts. In addition, the workshop examined ethical issues related to the import, export, and transfer of ownership of cultural objects, and also addressed the role and potential of relevant stakeholders in protecting cultural objects from theft, illegal excavations, and trafficking. The training program on the 1954 Hague Convention and its First and Second Protocols was presented by Professor of Law, Prof. Dr. Guido Carducci, Esq. He outlined the philosophy, historical background, and basic principles of the Convention, and discussed the evolution of concepts of cultural property protection in the event of armed conflicts. The program focused on effective processes and tools in the application of both protocols and the implementation of the Convention. The Ministry of Culture launched the Experts Program in August 2021 as a first-of-its-kind capacity building program in the region. The Program aims to qualify specialists in UNESCO Conventions and Programs with the aim of building expertise in the international cultural arena and raising the quality of nomination file preparation and representation in international organizations.
