ICOM UK – Heritage in Crisis 1: Looting Ukrainian cultural heritage
Date and time:
Wednesday 9 November, 2022
12:30 - 13:30
Location:
As well as the destruction of heritage sites in Ukraine there are also numerous instances of cultural property being looted. Meanwhile, there is a loss of expertise as curators, conservators, archivists and librarians prioritise safeguarding collections over professional development, with many specialists enlisting to fight or fleeing across borders.
The first talk in this series will focus on the role of ICOM Red Lists in combatting illicit trade in cultural artefacts. We will consider how artefacts looted from Ukraine could easily turn up in the UK - perhaps on eBay, as goods seized by border police or by being offered to museums for acquisition. Being aware of what to look for and knowing when to alert the authorities is a vital step towards stopping this illegal trade and returning looted artefacts to rightful owners. We will also look at what is being done to support those whose professional development has been put on hold due to the war.
Attendees will be asked to share the Red List for Ukraine as part of an awareness campaign. They will also be encouraged to identify ways to support the professional development of Ukrainian cultural heritage professionals in the UK.
The series of talks is free to attend for ICOM UK and ICOM members, or you have the option to pay what you can via a donation ticket. For non-members, we ask you to pay what you can via a donation ticket. We suggest a donation of £5 - £10 per talk.
All donated income from the series (minus Eventbrite fees) will be donated by ICOM UK to ICOM Poland's fund to support Ukrainian museum professionals fleeing Ukraine.
This online talk is part of a series of on-line lunchtime discussions about the destruction of global cultural heritage and how heritage professionals can help.
The series consists of three talks that focus on the war in Ukraine where cultural heritage is under attack. Through case studies and knowledge-sharing, practical actions will be identified for heritage professionals to use in support of Ukraine. Learning from the situation in Ukraine may, in turn, prove useful for responding to future crises elsewhere.
This pilot series is being organised by ICOM UK in collaboration with cultural experts from the Ukrainian Institute London* and the Ukrainian Institute in Kyiv**.
* The Ukrainian Institute London is a centre for Ukraine-related educational and cultural activities. The Institute is a charity registered in England and Wales.
** The Ukrainian Institute in Kyiv is a separate organisation, which promotes and develops cultural ties between Ukraine and other countries.
Speaker
Sophie Delepierre
Sophie Delepierre, Head of Heritage Protection, ICOM secretariat, responsible for producing the Red Lists.
Speaker
Anastasiia Cherednychenko
Anastasiia Cherednychenko, vice-chair ICOM Ukraine, speaking about the Red List for Ukraine.
