Every year thousands of manufacts and works of cultural value simply disappear from the public exhibitions to be sold to private investors. This is illicit trafficking of cultural heritage, a crime which deprives people of their heirloom.

14th November is the UNESCO day for the Fight against Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Heritage, here is the official video:

https://www.facebook.com/unesco/videos/303348440707875 

"The Real Price of Art"

UNESCO is launching an international communication campaign to make the general public and art lovers aware of the devastation of the history and identity of peoples wreaked by the illicit trade in cultural goods, which is estimated to be worth nearly $10 billion each year. As shown by The Real Price of Art campaign, in some cases, the looting of archaeological sites, which fuels this traffic, is highly organized and constitutes a major source of financing for criminal and terrorist organizations.

The campaign marks the 50th anniversary of UNESCO’s Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property adopted in 1970. Developed by UNESCO with concrete measures to combat this scourge, the Convention is a global framework of reference in this field.

Here is the link to the campaign:

https://en.unesco.org/news/real-price-art-international-unesco-campaign-reveals-hidden-face-art-trafficking 

How much for the soul of a Nation?