Author: Francesca Marasi
Committee: Art & Cultural Heritage Crimes Committee
Date: 27/01/2025

After the hybrid workshop “Intangible Cultural Heritage in the European Union legal framework” that took place on october 29, 2024 at Milan Bicocca University, the event was later published on the website of the Italian Ministry of Culture on November 13, 2024.

The workshop was created to commemorate the “International Day of the Intangible Cultural Heritage on October 17, 2024”.

The committee “Art and Cultural Heritage Crimes” was present at the event, along with the “UNESCO office Sixth Service of the Secretariat of the Ministry of Culture” and the intervention of various professors and important participants, including Professor Toshiyuko Kono from Japan and Dr Elena Sinibaldi, referent of the Italian Ministry of Culture for UNESCO Convention 2003 for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. The discussion was moderated by Professor Benedetta Ubertazzi. In particular, Dr. Elena Sinibaldi took part in an intervention titled “Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention, Creative Europe and the role of focal points”, highlighting the

need to further explore this area of study, due to the complexity of the legal framework, using a comparative approach and sharing different legal information systems.

The event and its posting on Ministry of Culture website represents an important achievement for the efforts of EPPO, supported by STEPPO’s work, in addressing organized crimes against UE Cultural Heritage, with particular attention to the objectives and implementation of the “2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural heritage In the European Union.”

This initiative shows a shared commitment to safeguard cultural rights as fundamental human rights under Article 22 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights, which states that “The Union respects cultural, religious and linguistic diversity”. Thus, it is evident how intrinsic the value of cultural heritage is and how its protection is inherent to human dignity, identity and history. In this way, EPPO’s mission in addressing these kinds of crimes and guaranteeing justice is aligned with the ministry’s work to preserve and protect cultural integrity. The Ministry of Culture is taking a crucial step in reinforcing the fundamental connection between cultural rights and EPPO: by promoting this cooperation, the Ministry highlights EPPO’s efforts to combat Mafia and reaffirms that the protection of cultural heritage is both a legal and moral obligation.

Download the slides of the event “Intangible Cultural Heritage in the European Union legal framework” here

All the information about the event are available on the STEPPO website.

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