Breakfast will be available for guests.

The deliberate destruction of historic sites and looting of antiquities across the Middle East by the Islamic State and other groups has drawn global condemnation, with many suggesting these acts be considered as “war crimes.” The illicit trafficking of looted antiquities is also being used to fund the work of terrorist groups, contributing to a vicious cycle of instability and loss of some of humanity’s greatest cultural treasures. Yet these crimes have to date not been met with an effective coordinated response.

What does a well-coordinated response look like, and who should be leading this global effort? Can governments in the region stop these attacks against our shared history and heritage on their own, or will it require coordination with international agencies? What is the role of the private sector, in particular museums and global cultural organizations, in preventing the trafficking of antiquities?

The Asia Society is pleased to host a special high-level forum to find regional solutions to the recent surge in the destruction and looting of antiquities across the Middle East.  The forum will feature UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova, His Excellency the Foreign Minister of Iraq Dr. Ibrahim Al-Jaafari, His Excellency the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jordan Nasser Judeh, Asia Society Policy Institute President Kevin Rudd, and leaders from major cultural organizations and museums. Asia Society President Josette Sheeran and Antiquities Coalition Chairman Deborah Lehr will co-host this important event.

This program made possible through the generous support of the Nicholas Platt Endowment for Public Policy

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