Laws of Art in Question for Cultural Goods Moving Cross-Border

Laws of Art in Question for Cultural Goods Moving Cross-Border

19 May, 2012, Acropolis Museum

Legal Experts Gather in Athens,Greece to Shed Light on the Issues
Timing deemed right as European Commission, UNESCO, UNIDROIT take action

The legal issues concerning the protection of cultural goods -- such as paintings, sculptures, religious property and archaeological pieces -- are currently in the international spotlight with significant meetings being held by UNIDROIT and UNESCO in the upcoming months to review proposals seeking to set new standards and regulations governing the movement of cultural goods.

Recognizing the need to shed light on the issues, the Hellenic Society for Law and Archaeology (www.law-archaeology.gr), in collaboration with the German Institute for Art and Law (IFKUR) and with the support of the Swiss Federal Office of Culture, is dedicating its annual conference to the matter. Distinguished scholars and experts from Austria, Switzerland, Germany and Greece will address the issues concerning the «Cross-Border Movement of Cultural Goods» at the Acropolis Museum on May 19, 2012.

The conference will:

• take a close look at the challenges faced in regards to the international movement of cultural property; the strengths and deficiencies of the two major conventions (UNESCO 1970 and 1995 UNIDROIT); and current legal trends affecting European and national legislation and regulations.

• offer a forum to discuss the reforms currently being proposed

• examine case studies from Greece, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria

The event, free and open to the public, is geared to archaeologists, curators, galleries owners, collectors, art students, lawyers, museum employees and collaborators, cultural institutions, insurance companies, employees of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, police and customs officers.

"We are excited to be hosting this legal conference, the first of its kind in Greece," says Ira Kaliampetsos, conference organizer and founding member of the Hellenic Society for Law and Archaeology. "It's appropriate that Athens, so rich in cultural heritage, will be the first stop for many of the key participants as they head to the upcoming UNESCO and UNIDROIT meetings in Paris." She adds: "It is imperative that countries get on the same page regarding cross-border movement of cultural goods. The current situation, with unclear laws and haphazard implementation, can't continue. This conference aims to clarify a complex picture - it's not all black and white."

The Hellenic Society for Law and Archaeology (HSLA) is a civil non-profit organization founded in Athens in September 2006 to create a body of lawyers and archaeologists dedicated to the study and development of cultural heritage law, with emphasis on antiquities.

More information at www.law-archaeology.gr or contact:

Ira Kaliampetsos
Hellenic Society for Law and Archaeology
Tel.: (+30) 210 80 10 600; 6973 477 547
ikaliampetsos@law-archaeology.gr  
www.law-archaeology.gr   

Athina Vorilla
Tel. (+30) 6974 991 340
athinavorilla@gmail.com