How Can Museums Better Safeguard Our Cultural Heritage?
Register Now to Join This Week's Global Dialogue In Honor of International Museum Day
The illicit trade in ancient art and artifacts is destroying our shared heritage, with serious consequences for human rights, local communities, national economies, and even global security. The world’s museums have a unique opportunity—as well as a responsibility—to fight back. And many are meeting this challenge head on.
This year, to mark International Museum Day, the China-Europe-America Global Initiative will celebrate those individuals and institutions who are using their platforms to safeguard our past for future generations. We are proud to partner on this inspiring conversation, featuring leaders in business, culture, and government, collaborating across borders, time zones, and even continents. Join the program live on May 19 (15:00 Beijing) or register now to have access later on demand.
This year, International Museum Day falls on 18 May. The event takes place on the following day, 19 May, with an opening ceremony, three panels and the closing ceremony. Watch as David Gosset, Founder of C.E.A, shares what to expect:
The Opening Ceremony
Moderated by David Gosset, the opening ceremony of the event will gather high-level personalities from China International Communications Group, the Palace Museum, UNESCO, Intesa Sanpaolo, the Smithsonian Institution, and the AC's Chairman and Founder Deborah Lehr to discuss how joint international action can send a strong message against the illicit trade in antiquities.
Watch Lehr speak with Euronews about how the international community can combat looting.
The Panels
Session One: Ensuring Legitimate Collections - Provenance and Authentication
Moderated by Louis Godart, Former Cultural Advisor of the Italian President.
Globally recognized experts will explore shared principles that support the legal and ethical collection of ancient art and artifacts, highlighting best practices for provenance research and authentication, in the hopes of fighting the growing market in fakes, forgeries, and looted antiquities.
Want a preview? Read the recent NYT article on the important work being done by one of the speakers, Victoria Reed, Provenance Curator, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, to #CombatLooting.
Session Two: Combating Cultural Racketeering and Increasing Responsible Cultural Exchange
Moderated by Alex Fan, Writer; Art Collector; Co-Founder of East Langkun; Board of Trustees, China-Europe-America Global Initiative.
Leading figures in the arts, civil society, and government will discuss how museums can find opportunities in the challenges posed by the illicit antiquities trade, using their platforms to educate the public, build bridges between cultures, and right past wrongs. Speakers include Tess Davis, Executive Director of The Antiquities Coalition, and Maxwell L. Anderson, Author, former President of the Association of Art Museum Directors, and former director of art museums in five North American cities.
Check out our piece on Max Anderson's book Antiquities: What Everyone Needs to Know.
Session Three: Partnering with the Private Sector
Moderated by Joan McEntee, Former Under Secretary, US Department of Commerce, Board of Trustees, China-Europe-America Global Initiative.
Business and cultural leaders will share how museums can work with the private sector to protect themselves, global markets, and our shared world heritage from cultural crimes.
We hope to see you soon for this important conversation!