Qatar National Library Organizes Workshop on Combating Trafficking of Antiquities for Professionals Across the Region

From September 5th–8th, 2022, the Qatar National Library, which serves as the IFLA Preservation and Conservation Regional Center (PAC) for Arab and Middle Eastern nations, hosted a workshop with the theme “Countering Trafficking of Cultural Property Including Documentary Heritage.” The Ministry of Culture and the American, Italian, and French embassies in Qatar collaborated on the interdisciplinary workshop, which looked at programs and policies that preserve cultural heritage and property rights, as well as best practices for stopping the trafficking of antiquities.

In attendance was His Excellency Dr. Hamad Bin Abdulaziz Al-Kawari, Minister of State, Qatar, and President of Qatar National Library. International and local experts from Qatar Museums, The International Center for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property, United Arab Emirates, the National Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation, Italy, the Carabinieri Unit of Rome for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), among others, presented the four-day workshop.

Participants from several business sectors in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) area looked at funding sources, advocacy initiatives, educational outreach programs, and law enforcement tactics for protecting cultural artifacts and property.