Colombian authorities have recovered more than 900 archaeological artifacts since 2022.

Colombia and Spain held a bilateral meeting in Cartagena, organized by their respective Ministries of Culture, to exchange experiences and consolidate joint strategies against the illicit trafficking of cultural property.

Saia Maria Vergara, Vice Minister of Heritage, Memory, and Cultural Governance of Colombia, emphasized the importance of improving the assessment and prevention of the illegal trade.

Both countries agreed that the illicit trafficking of cultural property entails material losses and affects the memory, identity, and historical ties of communities, in addition to being linked to organized crime networks.

Vergara stressed that this crime not only causes material loss but also the severing of the historical and cultural ties they represent. Colombian authorities reported that since 2022, more than 900 archaeological artifacts have been recovered through repatriation processes.

The Vice Minister highlighted the progress of a national program involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Police, the Attorney General’s Office, and the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History (ICANH).

The text reads “Police recovered 34 archaeological artifacts that were being sold in antique shops in Granada and Versalles, Cali. The pieces, from the Quimbaya and Calima cultures, are fundamental to the country’s pre-Hispanic history.”

The meeting reviewed regional experiences to promote international alliances that will help combat this transnational crime, emphasizing that protecting cultural heritage is a responsibility to future generations.

Angeles Albert de Leon, Director General of Cultural Heritage and Fine Arts at the Spanish Ministry of Culture, noted that the meeting is fundamental because both countries share similar challenges in heritage protection.

In January, Colombia assumed the presidency of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property (ICPRCP) to its countries of origin or its restitution in cases of illicit appropriation, following bilateral negotiations.

teleSUR: JP

Source: Zona Cero

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