Turkic states adopt declaration to combat cultural heritage smuggling

GAZİANTEP  

Turkic states have adopted the “Gaziantep Declaration” in a Türkiye-led initiative aimed at strengthening international cooperation against the illicit trafficking of cultural property.

Representatives from Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, along with observer members Hungary and Turkmenistan, convened at a workshop in the Turkish southeastern province of Gaziantep attended by officials from UNESCO and the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The “Gaziantep Declaration” was adopted following the workshop, with participating countries agreeing to enhance cross-border cooperation in combating the smuggling of cultural artifacts.

Speaking to the media, Zeynep Boz, head of the anti-smuggling department at Türkiye’s Culture and Tourism Ministry, said such initiatives contribute significantly to international collaboration.

Emphasizing that cultural property trafficking is a transnational crime, Boz underlined the importance of closer coordination among countries.

She noted that joint action among Turkic states would strengthen efforts in the field and help expand the exchange of information and expertise.

Boz also highlighted that Türkiye has already established cooperation mechanisms with numerous countries and continues to conduct joint initiatives with European and Balkan nations.

The declaration adopted as part of the program emphasized that the protection of cultural heritage is a shared responsibility.

It stated that illicit activities targeting cultural assets constitute not only a criminal offense but also a threat to the collective memory of humanity.

The declaration also underscored the need to enhance coordination, information sharing and capacity-building efforts among countries, while calling for stronger international cooperation in combating the trafficking of cultural property.

More than 1 million historical artifacts, the majority of them coins, are prevented from being smuggled abroad each year in Türkiye. Since 2002, a total of 13,453 artifacts have been repatriated to the country.