Part of the Conflict and Cultural Heritage Conference. Theme 3: What is being done or should be done? Exploring archaeological and military heritage protection initiatives. With Vernon Rapley (Victoria and Albert Museum). Vernon Rapley will describe the difficulties encountered by law enforcement when trying to target the illicit trade of cultural heritage. He will explore the reasons why police departments can sometimes appear to be reluctant to engage fully in this area of criminality. Vernon will also draw upon his experience investigating cultural property criminals to provide and insight into their methodology and the potential scale and impact of their acts.
Om Podcasten
The Conflict and Cultural Heritage Conference aims to raise public awareness and develop understanding of the issues surrounding the protecting of cultural heritage at risk from armed conflict. Focussing on the Middle East, the area currently undergoing the greatest destruction and where the heritage is most at risk, we aim to demonstrate the importance of the heritage, why its destruction matters, and what can be done. Topics to be explored will include the material heritage of the region from international and local perspectives, and the living heritage of communities with rich and longstanding traditions, before exploring why such destruction is happening, and the beliefs that underlie extremist practices. Focus will then move to an overview of what is being done already, and what more the international community can do. This free conference is intended to provide information from a variety of cultures, perspectives, and organisations, including academics, archaeologists, the military, and the media, raising awareness of the multi-cultural nature of Middle Eastern heritage, and its global relevance in the past and today.