A meeting of UNESCO’s ICPRPC committee in Azerbaijan has considered the protection of cultural artefacts from Azerbaijan, as well as re-visiting the standing restitution appeals for the return of the Parthenon Marbles & the Bogazkoy sphinx.

From:
News.Az

Azerbaijan appeals UNESCO to protects cultural heritage in occupied lands
Wed 06 July 2011 04:25 GMT | 5:25 Local Time

The 17th meeting of the UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its Countries of Origin or its Restitution in Case of Illicit Appropriation (ICPRCP) was held.

The Department of international relations and cultural programs of Azerbaijan Ministry of Culture and Tourism reports that the issues which were included in the agenda – The restitutions appeals on Parthenon marbles (the United Kingdom of Great Britain – Greece), Bogazkoy sphinx (Germany – Turkey) were examined, the reports by member states and UNESCO partner organizations were listened.

During the meeting UNIDROIT, WCO, UNODC, ICOM international organizations, Interpol and Italian special police service Carabinieri informed on their last activities in this sphere, the European Commission’s ‘Hermes-2011’ program was presented.

At the session the participants were informed that the occupation policy carried out by Armenians against Azerbaijanis were limited not only with the territorial claims, thus, the theft of more than 100 thousand exhibits, rich cultural models in the occupied territories, their expose to the daily destruction, carrying out of archeological excavations and misappropriation of found objects. During the meeting the Azerbaijani side appealed to the UNESCO for preparation of practical and concrete recommendations for protection of cultural heritage in the occupied territories.

22 museums, where were collected 40 thousand exhibits, 927 libraries with 4,6 million books, 808 clubs, 4 theatres and 2 concert places, 8 culture and rest parks, 4 picture galleries, 85 musical schools, 103.2 thousand furniture equipments, 5640 musical instruments, 481 cinema units, 20 movie cameras, 423 videotape recorders, 5920 national male and female cloths, 40 loudspeakers, 25 large and 40 small attractions remained under occupation.

APA