A Round Table took place at UNESCO Headquarters on September 30 2015, on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the UNESCO Database of National Cultural Heritage Laws, thanks to the generous financial contribution of the Swiss government (Federal Office for Culture).

The panel was opened by the Director of the Division for Heritage Dr Mechtild Rössler and presentations were made by representatives of Member States, H.E.Ambassador Jean-Frédéric Jauslin, Permanent Delegation of the Swiss Confederation to UNESCO and Mr.Donald Maynard, First Secretary in charge of communication and culture, United States Mission to UNESCO, as well as by representatives from UNESCO core partners, UNIDROIT, UNODC and ICOM, and a presentation by the UNESCO Secretariat for the 1970 Convention.

The panelists enhanced the important role of the Database in the fight against the illicit trafficking of cultural property in the fields of search for provenance and the exercise of due diligence, case law, and for the information of the public at large on  the protection of cultural heritage worldwide. They, therefore, called upon all UNESCO Member States to regularly update their cultural legislation published on the Database website and link it their own databases, websites and research centres.

Launched in 2005 thanks to the generous financial support of the US Department of State, the Database is the unique international tool which permits a free, easy and quick access to cultural heritage laws currently in force. The Database is a real success story since it presents almost 3000 cultural laws from 188 Member States.

For any questions regarding the update and submission of your national cultural laws, please contact the Database Secretariat: s.al-tabbal(at)unesco.org.