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Webinar: Cultural Property Awareness: From Crime to Court

14 Nov 2025, 14:00-14 Nov 2025, 15:30
Webinar
Economic Crimes and Asset Recovery Network
Economic Crimes and Asset Recovery Network Economic Crimes and Asset Recovery Network
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All organisational and individual members of the IAP are invited to join us for a webinar organised by the International Association of Prosecutors in conjunction with Blue Shield International.

Speakers:
Patty Gerstenblith,
Distinguished Research Professor and Director of the Center for Art, Museum and Cultural Heritage Law, DePaul University College of Law; President of the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield; Chair of the Blue Shield International Working Group on Countering Trafficking in Cultural Materials 

Sophie Hayes,
Detective Constable, Art and Antiquities Unit, Metropolitan Police Service, England

Nataraj Muneesamy,
Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mauritius

Karin Orenstein,
Assistant US Attorney (former), Cultural Property Coordinator, Eastern District of New York, USA
    
Facilitator:
Irina Beridze,
Executive Programme Manager, International Association of Prosecutors
     
The Blue Shield is an international organisation, dedicated to protecting heritage in crisis.  Its mission is the protection of the world’s cultural property, and it is concerned with the protection of cultural and natural heritage, tangible and intangible, in the event of armed conflict, natural or human-made disaster.  

The illicit trafficking in antiquities is a global problem that impacts on cultural heritage, economies and communities worldwide.  Items are stolen, smuggled and sold across borders and through a complex network of actors, resulting in a significant cultural loss on those communities from which they are taken. In addition, the money gained from selling looted and stolen objects may be used to buy weapons, contribute to organised crime and terrorism, and prolong conflict.  

This webinar – scheduled to take place on the International Day against Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property – will provide insights into the diversity of work from legislation and investigation through to prosecution, court presentation and property disposal, both from a national and international perspective.

In particular, the webinar will cover:
·    An introduction to the Blue Shield International Working Group
·    An overview of the importance of the International Day against Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property
·    An overview of the work of the Metropolitan Police’s Art and Antiquities Unit
·    The importance of early police-prosecutor cooperation
·    Recent case studies in relation to the prosecution of cultural property offences
·    The importance of adapting national legislation to enable the effective prosecution of cultural property offences
·    Presentation of digital evidence in court from the perspective of the ICC
·    The investigation and prosecution of cultural property offences within the context of the US Department of Justice.

This webinar follows the successful webinar that was hosted by the IAP and Blue Shield International in March 2025.

This 75-minute webinar will be held in English, and no interpretation will be provided. However, attendees can access live automated translated captions via the Zoom platform during the webinar.  All attendees will receive a certificate of attendance. The webinar is open to all IAP organisational and individual members.

Please note that this webinar will be recorded.

For more details, please contact Ms. Irina Beridze, Executive Programme Manager of the IAP, at epm@iap-association.org

We look forward to welcoming you at the webinar!