Oman
Observes International Day Against Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property
Muscat,
13 Nov (ONA) — The Sultanate of Oman joins the rest of the world in
celebrating the International Day Against Illicit Trafficking in Cultural
Property, which falls on 14 November of every year.
The
celebration aims to raise awareness about the importance of protecting cultural
property from illicit trafficking, the need to take necessary precautionary
measures and procedures, and the necessity of international cooperation in this
regard. The phenomenon of illicit trafficking in cultural property is an
international issue that requires cooperation, solidarity, and the exchange of
experiences among countries to significantly halt or reduce it.
The
Sultanate of Oman is rich in a tangible cultural heritage stock with multiple
forms and contents. This includes fixed monuments like castles, forts,
historical landmarks, and archaeological sites, unique geological heritage
sites, and movable cultural heritage which includes, for example, pottery,
flint vessels, seals, arrowheads, coins, meteorites, and many others.
The
Ministry of Heritage and Tourism affirmed that tangible cultural heritage
embodies the civilizational and human legacy and the identity of peoples, and
that illicit trafficking in this cultural property has negative dimensions and
consequences that affect peoples and their identity and lead to the loss of a
part of their cultural heritage.
The
Ministry has undertaken numerous efforts to preserve and sustain Omani cultural
heritage through several projects and initiatives, by fostering awareness of
the importance of this cultural heritage and building the capacities of
relevant Omani entities to preserve it. This includes taking necessary measures
to avoid the sale, smuggling, and theft of cultural property. The Ministry also
maintains continuous coordination and communication with international
organizations and attends relevant meetings and workshops.
The
Ministry of Heritage and Tourism pointed out that, in activation of the Omani
Cultural Heritage Law issued by Royal Decree No. (35/2019), which includes the
management, conservation, preservation, and sustainability of Omani cultural
heritage, and stemming from the importance of having a comprehensive database
of cultural property in the Sultanate of Oman, a Register of Omani Cultural
Heritage has been established as stipulated in Article No. (33). A website and
electronic application for the Register have been completed. This enables
citizens, private, and government museums to list the cultural property in
their possession. Specialists at the Ministry then examine, register, and
document the cultural property through the database by issuing a cultural
property registration certificate. The application and website also allow the
user to carry out other operations such as export, loan, sale, purchase,
donation, and reporting loss. Each piece will have a unique code issued by the
Register, which will help competent authorities track the item in case of theft
or loss.
The
Ministry of Heritage and Tourism is currently working in coordination with
government and private museums to register their cultural property through the
website and electronic application to create a national database of cultural
property.
The
Omani Cultural Heritage Register aims to preserve cultural property for its
sustainability and transfer to future generations, and to manage Omani tangible
cultural heritage in terms of sale, purchase, export, import, and loan to
contribute to limiting illicit trafficking operations. It also aims to provide
a scientific electronic database for all cultural property, register cultural
property according to international standards, and contribute to tracking any
item that may be stolen, lost, or damaged, and promote Omani heritage
internally and externally.
The
Sultanate of Oman affirms its commitment and support for all international
efforts aimed at protecting and sustaining human cultural heritage, recognizing
the importance of international agreements. Oman has ratified several
agreements.
—Ends/AG
