Between International Trafficking and Restitution of Cultural Heritage: The Repercussions of the 1970 UNESCO Convention (1970-1980)

ABSTRACT

Although the UNESCO Convention (1970) will be 50 years old in 2020, we have not identified many publications dedicated to the discussion of its repercussions within the UN and UNESCO, particularly during its period of institutional consolidation (1970-1980). This article seeks to contribute in this direction. It is organized in three parts. On the first part, I reflect on the arguments mobilized in the convention to explain its relevance. Then, I discuss the main repercussions of the Convention in the aforementioned instances. Finally, I present the central argument of the article: the constitution, by UNESCO itself, of a committee providing for the restitution to the countries of origin of illicitly appropriated cultural property, in 1978, obstructed the ratification of the Convention by the States embraced by the entity. I conclude with considerations about the future challenges concerning the subject.

Keywords:
UNESCO; Restitution of Cultural property; International trafficking; Heritage; History