Cyprus’ permanent representation in the UN in cooperation with Italy’s permanent representation have formed the Friends for the Protection of Cultural Heritage Group, taking an important step towards the implementation of the international legal framework.
The protection of cultural heritage constitutes a top priority of the two countries’ foreign policy and the group’s main goal is to raise awareness over the need to protect the cultural heritage, to combat cultural goods trafficking, to prevent it and all forms of related illegal activities, to jointly follow best practices and promote them internationally and enhance relations between legislative sources, an announcement released by the press and information office (PIO) says.
In this context, the Friendship Group had its first meeting yesterday at Italy’s permanent representation in the United Nations which was co-chared by Italian ambassador Sebastiano Cardi and Cyprus’ ambassador Kornelios Korneliou, it adds. Participants included among others representatives from Armenia, Cambodia, South Korea, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Portugal, Turkey, India, Colombia, Georgia, Qatar, Iraq, Russia, as well as UNESCO and Interpol.
“The idea of establishing a Friends for the Protection of Cultural Heritage Group started here in New York, in the hope that this platform could revive international interest, by raising awareness and encouraging the implementation of the existing legal framework, as well as through the exchanged of best practices and the enhancement of cooperation,” Korneliou stressed.
He also explained that at this stage the Group’s work will focus in two key priorities; the completion of national lists and a comprehensive record of all types of cultural heritage and pressing on with the digitisation of cultural property, both movable and immovable.
CNA/AAR/EPH/AAR/2018
