The workshop on UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property/UNIDROIT Convention

The workshop on UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property and the UNIDROIT Convention was held in Kingston, Jamaica, from 2-5 March 2020.  It provided a platform for exchanging practices and identifying measures to help Caribbean Member States make progress in ratifying and implementing the UNESCO Convention

Hon Minister Grange who opened the proceedings stressed the importance of working towards a ratification and implementation of both conventions in Jamaica and encouraged her Caribbean neighbours to do the same if they have not already done so.

During the three days of the workshop, participants addressed the problem of illegally exported and imported cultural property in their Caribbean Small Island Developing States and received support for the steps to ratify the conventions to protect their cultural heritage.

They were led in this process by 2 UNESCO staff members—Daoud Bouledroua, Specialist of the Movable Heritage & Museums, Culture Sector, UNESCO and Giuditta Giardini, Lawyer, LL.M, UNIDROIT

Participating countries included Bahamas, Suriname, St Lucia, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, St Kitts, Curacao and Jamaica.