(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Qatar National Library (QNL) is organising a virtual forum under the title 'Illegal trafficking in antiquities and cultural materials from today as part of its continuous efforts to preserve heritage treasures in the Arab world and the Middle East and to combat antiquities-smuggling.
The forum will discuss the issue of antiquities-smuggling and highlights the system of illegal trade in cultural antiquities and its parties and the parties involved in each stage of smuggling and trafficking.
The forum will also define the concept of the illegal archaeological commodity in terms of source, transportation and countries targeted for marketing.
Commenting on the occasion, Stephane Ipert, Director of Distinctive Collections at the library, said: 'Over many centuries, the Arab world and the Middle East regions produced many tangible monuments of high historical, aesthetic and spiritual value. This rich heritage, especially in countries torn by conflict and bequeathed by poverty, was subject to increasing operations of looting, smuggling and illegal trafficking in it, which threatened its cultural heritage.
'This forum aims is to raise awareness of the issues of antiquities smuggling and illegal trafficking and to assist experts and competent legal authorities in the region to confront this criminal activity, he added.
The forum is held under Himaya Project Lecture Series.
The library launched Himaya, a project to support the efforts to counter the trafficking and illegal circulation of the documentary heritage in the region.
An important goal of the project will be to create strong engagement between international agencies and regional organisations to protect documentary heritage and counter the trafficking of items.
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