The Insular Council of Menorca, with the collaboration of the Civil Guard and the Government of the Balearic Islands, will hold the II International Seminar on Operational Fight Against Illicit Traffic in Cultural Property

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5 years ago

It will be held in Lazareto de Menorca, on the 26th and 27th of next September, and will be directed by the Historical Heritage Section of the Central Operating Unit of the Civil Guard

The objective of this meeting is to strengthen inter-institutional coordination and cooperation, both nationally and internationally, in the investigation of crimes related to Historical Heritage

First-rate representatives of international institutions such as UNESCO, INTERPOL and EUROPOL, and other nationals such as the Ministry of Culture, the Balearic Government, the Consell de Menorca, the Office of the National Court and the Navy among others, as well as police experts will attend from several countries

The Insular Council of Menorca, with the collaboration of the Central Operating Unit of the Civil Guard and the Government of the Balearic Islands, will hold the II International Seminar on Operational Fight Against Illicit Traffic in Cultural Property, on the 26th and 27th of next month of September.

The main objective of this Seminar is to strengthen the coordination and cooperation between all the Institutions, Agencies and Organizations, both national and international, that participate in the fight against the illicit traffic of cultural goods, as well as to exchange operational experiences related to the investigation of crimes against the Historical Patrimony.

This second edition, having celebrated the first in Seville, in 2014, will be attended by first-rate representatives of International Institutions and Organizations such as UNESCO, INTERPOL and EUROPOL, as well as expert police representatives in the investigation of crimes committed against Historical Heritage, works of art and antiques from countries such as Italy, France, Germany, Holland, USA or Morocco.

With regard to national authorities, representatives of the Office of the Prosecutor of the National Court for Environmental Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, the Center for Underwater Archeology (ARQUA) and the Institute of Culture and Culture Naval History of the Navy, as well as representatives of the Balearic Government and the Consell de Menorca.

The Civil Guard in defense of Historical Heritage

The Spanish Historical Heritage is part of the cultural heritage of Spanish society, constituting one of the main signs of identity of our country's contribution to universal civilization.

In this way, an obligation is established by the public authorities, both state and regional, in the surveillance and custody of our Heritage, in order to avoid plundering difficult to repair, since in many cases the mere transfer of these goods generates irreparable damage to them, even losing their own identity outside their environment.

For all this, the Civil Guard entrusted, among other missions, the protection of historical heritage, being the main areas of action in this area the prevention and investigation of theft of cultural property, archaeological plundering, both land and water, the repression of smuggling of cultural property , as well as the falsification of works of art.

Thanks to the global structure of the Civil Guard, there are many specialties involved both in the protection of the Historical Heritage, and in the investigation of the crimes that affect it.

For the protection and repression “in situ” of the terrestrial archaeological plunder, the Civil Guard has the Nature Protection Service (SEPRONA), which has consolidated over the years as the most effective unit to fight in aggressive environments, place where the most vulnerable archaeological sites are found.

The Maritime Service and the Special Group of Underwater Activities (GEAS) of the Civil Guard, are responsible for ensuring the protection of the immense underwater archaeological heritage that houses the Spanish jurisdictional waters.

To combat the smuggling of cultural property, the Civil Guard has the Fiscal Service, a real Spanish customs police, which controls the land, sea and air borders, the departure and entry of passengers and merchandise.

The international illicit traffic in cultural property is a scourge that affects all countries "rich" in cultural property for several decades. The close collaboration between police units specialized in the investigation of this phenomenon is, so far, the most useful tool to combat these crimes, thus being recognized by international organizations involved in the protection of Historical Heritage, such as UNESCO, EUROPOL or INTERPOL .

Along these lines, the Central Operating Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard, through its Historical Heritage Section, is responsible for this type of investigation into the most serious criminal forms that are committed by organizations or criminal groups and that are Develop internationally.

Candidacy of the Talayotic Menorca to World Heritage

The island of Menorca, with an area of 700 km2, has 2,126 archaeological sites, of which 1,298 are declared as Goods of Cultural Interest, which constitutes a density of unparalleled deposits in the national territory.

In this way, a selection of prehistoric sites, from this island, choose to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, under the candidacy called "Talayotic Menorca", driven with great enthusiasm by the Insular Council of Menorca with the support of the Government of the Balearic Islands.

For all this, in addition to having a citizens deeply concerned with the conservation of their cultural heritage, they make Menorca the ideal environment to celebrate this important event, being a great pride and privilege for the Civil Guard to be able to support with this Seminar the candidacy of the Talayotic Menorca to World Heritage and to make it known to all the participants in it.

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