Show latest news, more from November 2003.
Tougher guidelines called for to stop illegal trade of cultural artefacts
Museum directors across Britain will be required to draft stricter guidelines for the museum sector when collecting cultural objects from overseas, following a seminar held in London this week. Arts Minister Estelle Morris called on the sector to produce the guidelines in a bid to stem the illicit traffic of cultural materials. She said the government is determined to reduce this problem. 'The international trade in illicit cultural artefacts is a growing problem, and one that was highlighted most recently by the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq,’ the Minister said. ‘The number of stolen, illicitly excavated or illegally exported items has increased considerably. It is vitally important that museums in this country should have robust procedures in place for assessing the legality of potential acquisitions and loans,’ she continued. Morris said the government wanted the responsibility for developing good practice and guidance for collecting cultural materials from overseas to lie with the museum sector, rather than it being imposed by ministers for parliament. The seminar was initially proposed to involve museum directors in developing guidance by the Illicit Trade Advisory Panel, which handed down a report in December 2001 endorsing the Museums Association of Conduct. The code states that: ‘Museums should not accept on loan, acquire, exhibit or assist the current possessor of, any object that has been acquired in, or exported from, its country of origin (or intermediate country in which it may have been legally owned) in violation of that country's laws.’ Small working groups will now be established to draft guidelines for approval by the Illicit Trade Advisory Panel. For further information visit the Department of Culture, Media and Sport HERE.
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