Fund of the Convention
Illicit trafficking of cultural property will continue as long as there is a demand for it. There is, therefore, an increasing need for States Parties to effectively implement the 1970 Convention at the national level. At the third Meeting of States Parties to the Convention (2015), States Parties invited the Director-General of UNESCO to create the Fund for the 1970 Convention to handle the urgent need to strengthen the work of the Convention.
This Fund aims to support States in their efforts to fight effectively against the illicit trafficking of cultural property, in particular regarding capacity-building, the awareness and communication, the inventory work and the monitoring of auction houses. This Fund is also used to allow representatives of developing countries to participate in the sessions of the Meeting of States Parties and its Subsidiary Committee.
The Fund is financed by voluntary contributions.
For more information, please contact the Secretariat of the 1970 Convention.
Fund of the Committee 'Return & Restitution"
The limited resources remains a significant obstacle to the implementation of an effective strategy against the dispersal of cultural property caused by illicit trafficking
Resolution 27 of the 30th General Conference of UNESCO established the "Fund of the Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its Countries of Origin or its Restitution in case of Illicit Appropriation".
This Fund aims to support Member States in their efforts to combat illicit trafficking in cultural property effectively, in particular concerning :
- the verification of cultural objects by experts, their transport, insurance costs, the establishment of facilities for their proper display, and
- the training of museum professionals from the countries of origin of cultural property.
The Fund is financed by voluntary contributions.
Requests for assistance are submitted for evaluation to the 22 Member States of the Intergovernmental Committee.
For more information, please contact the Secretariat of the 1970 Convention.