On 30 May 2023, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to UNESCO, M.Chariev attended the Seventh Meeting of States Parties to the 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.
During the opening session, the Assistant Director-General for Culture, Ernesto Ottone Ramires, welcomed and congratulated the new members of the Convention, Turkmenistan and the Republiс of Malawi, joined in 2022.
In his speech, Ambassador M.Chariev expressed his gratitude and appreciation to all member states for the congratulations addressed to Turkmenistan in connection with ratification of this Convention. He noted that Turkmenistan possesses a rich historical and cultural heritage, which not only reflects the country's unique history and identity, but is also an integral part of the world cultural heritage. It was also stressed, that in frames of the work of the Convention, Turkmenistan seek not only to protect these values, but also to promote their dissemination. Therefore our country as a full member of the Convention is committed to actively cooperate with other member states, strive for exchange of knowledge and experiences in the field of preservation of cultural heritage.
During the current meeting, elections to the Subsidiary Committee of the Meeting of States Parties were held. As a result of the vote, the Republic of Turkey, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Lithuania, the Federative Republic of Brazil, the People's Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Zambia, the Arab Republic of Egypt and Palestine became new members of the Committee.
The Seventh Meeting of States Parties to the 1970 Convention will be held on 30-31 May this year and the Eleventh Session of the Subsidiary Committee of the Meeting of States Parties to the 1970 Convention will be held from 1 to 2 June 2023.
The 1970 Convention, is an international treaty aimed at protecting cultural heritage from illegal trade and trafficking. It sets forth guidelines and regulations for the prevention of theft, looting, and illicit trafficking of cultural artifacts.
Turkmenistan joined the 1970 UNESCO Convention on September 1, 2022.
