Click here to explore all material related to the 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, available in the UNESCO Multimedia Video and Sound Collections.
The 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property was signed on 14 November, 1970, and came into effect on 24 April, 1972. It urges States Parties to take measures to prohibit and prevent the illicit trafficking of cultural property — an issue that the Convention recognizes as "one of the main causes of the impoverishment of the cultural heritage of the countries of origin of such property." (To note, cultural property is specifically defined in the Convention as "property which, on religious or secular grounds, is specifically designated by each State as being of importance for archaeology, prehistory, history, literature, art or science.")
Overarchingly, the Convention provides a common framework for the States Parties to prohibit and prevent the import, export and transfer of cultural property — particularly by "removing their causes, putting a stop to current practices, and by helping to make the necessary reparations." As of April 2024, the Convention has been ratified by 145 States Parties.
This guide highlights UNESCO's archival material related to its involvement in 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property — specifically through its collaboration with Member States, UN entities, human rights institutions, and UNESCO partners and networks. The following guide includes material from 1970 to the present.
Click here to access all legal instruments related to the 1970 Convention in the UNESCO AtoM Catalogue.
Click here to view all documents related to the 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property in UNESDOC.
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