The illicit trafficking of cultural goods shall be recognized as a security issue

Mexico City, November 8, 2023 – The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Mexico urge the recognition and addressing of illicit trafficking of cultural goods as a global security issue through the campaign: Protege tu legado (Protect your legacy).

The campaign aims to raise awareness about the implications and risks of this crime at the community level and ways to prevent and combat it to safeguard cultural heritage. The illicit trafficking of cultural goods involves the theft, destruction, or illegal transfer of cultural goods such as monumental, archaeological, anthropological, artistic and documentary works or their parts.

This crime denies access to valuable information for the present or future projections of the communities and impedes sustainable development in fields such as tourism, jobs, education, and the exercise of cultural rights, among others.

The UNESCO 1970 Convention, with 143 State Parties, remains a reference for establishing actions and guiding global cooperation against illicit trafficking of cultural goods. Meanwhile, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) indicates that crime is correlated to terrorism financing, organized crime, illicit trafficking of drugs and firearms, money laundering, and corruption.

There are no exact figures due to the difficulty of discovering and monitoring these illicit activities; however:

• The Museum Association estimates that profits from the illicit trade of antiquities range from $225 million to $3 billion annually.
• The Organized Crime Group of the UK Metropolitan Police and INTERPOL calculate that these same profits amount to between $300 million and $6 billion annually.
• The International Monetary Fund noted that the sum available for money laundering through the art market was equivalent to 2.7% of the world's GDP in 2009, or $1.6 billion.

Mexico has recovered over 13,000 cultural goods during the current presidential administration. The country investigates, safeguards, and protects over 82,300 historical monuments, architectural complexes, and culturally valuable real estate susceptible to illicit trafficking. This crime can occur in legal and illegal markets, including archaeological sites, museums, galleries, religious sites and digital platforms.

The Representative of UNODC in Mexico, Kristian Hölge, said: "Stealing from the past is destroying our future. The historical and cultural heritage is a unique testament to the peoples and their identities, and its protection is essential for Mexico and the world, especially for developing countries, which are among the most affected by this crime. Safeguarding the heritage is fundamental to the 2030 Agenda."

The Representative of UNESCO in Mexico, Andrés Morales, added that

November, and the upcoming November 14, International Day against Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Goods, represents an opportunity for governments, civil society organizations, museums, cultural spaces and media to join the campaign.

Join and protect your legacy!

#ProtegeTuLegado