NEW YORK, MAY 9 – The Group of Friends on Protection of Cultural Heritage, co-chaired by Italy and Cyrpus, presented to the United Nations a new APP for cellphones produced by the Italian Carabinieri, which allows to trace counterfeit and stolen artifacts. The APP is an example of how technology can serve to fulfill the Un Cultural Heritage goals and its fight against its illicit trafficking.
The APP allows the verification of the possible inclusion of an art object in the archives and databases of stolen objects and was presented by Italy, as co-chair of the Group of Friends for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, at the United Nations in New York. The application in Italian and English puts new technologies at the service of citizens and sector operators: a testimony of Italy’s commitment to digitization and the protection of cultural heritage and an important contribution to the investigative activity of the Carabinieri aimed at recovering lost works of art.
Following the efforts to define a systematic policy by the UN Security Council to contrast the destruction of cultural heritage worldwide, Italy launched last year along with Cyprus, the Group of Friends for the Protection of Cultural Heritage.
The initiative marked an important step forward in the path undertaken by Italy since 2015 for the safeguard of the world cultural heritage from destruction and trafficking by terrorist groups and organized crime. The adoption in 2016r on the initiative of Italy and France, of Resolution 2347 by the Security Council was an historic stride, the then Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations, Ambassador Sebastiano Cardi said at the launch of the new Group.
The meeting was held at the Permanent Mission of Italy. Back in 2015, in response to the increasing number of attacks against ancient monuments and sites by extremist groups, Italy and Jordan started the project “Protecting Cultural Heritage – An imperative for Humanity: Acting together against the destruction and trafficking of cultural property by terrorist groups and organized crime”. Its outcomes were presented to the opening session of the 72nd session of the General Assembly. In March 2017, the Security Council adopted, on the initiative of Italy and France, the historic resolution 2347, with which for the first time the Council recognizes the need to protect cultural heritage in conflict situations and to combat the trafficking in cultural property as a source of financing for terrorism.
“Italy, the first Country to give its contribution to UNESCO #Unite4Heritage strategy with the establishment of a dedicated Carabinieri Task Force in 2016, remains at the forefront on this important issue both in the field and in New York where, as co-chair of the Group of Friends together with Cyprus, will promote the implementation of relevant international instruments, the upgrade of national protection systems – from digitization of cultural property to investigative and judicial mechanisms – and the strengthening of international cooperation.” said Ambassador Cardi. (@OnuItalia)
