IFLA will be represented at an awareness-raising workshop organised by UNESCO on fighting the illicit trafficking of Afghan cultural heritage.

This workshop aims to foster dialogue, international cooperation and a coordinated effort between intergovernmental entities, Member States and all actors involved in the fight against illicit trafficking of Afghan cultural heritage. It will bring together different voices from the cultural heritage sector with representatives from the art market and government entities to promote more collaboration to safeguarding cultural heritage.

IFLA has been invited by UNESCO to moderate the first panel of the day, on the current status of illicit trafficking of Afghan cultural property.

This is a major step forward in representation of the library field in these multisectoral dialogues. IFLA will use the opportunity to share key concerns for the safeguarding of documentary heritage in particular.

We will be highlighting the Himaya Project, by the IFLA Preservation and Conservation (PAC) Centre hosted at Qatar National Library, and specifically sharing updates from their work preventing the trafficking of Afghan books and manuscripts.