art

A sample of Dogon art on the Bandiagara Escarpment in Teli, in the central region of Mali.
UN Photo/Marco Dormino

COVID-19 linked to expected glut of stolen art for sale online, warns UN cultural agency

3 July 2020
Interviews

If you were offered the chance to buy a stunning African artefact, apparently with the blessing of the UN, what would you do?

For many people, it’s not obvious that the Organization never endorses or validates in any way, the sale of cultural treasures from any country.

In a warning to art lovers, the UN agency responsible for protecting endangered cultural heritage, UNESCO, has also said that increased pillaging of endangered World Heritage Sites during COVID-19 lockdowns, will likely result in a glut of stolen artefacts appearing online.

The development follows news of a new and sophisticated fraud ring that has been conning victims by using fake UNESCO permits.

In an interview with UN News’s Daniel Johnson, Ernesto Ottone Ramírez, Assistant Director-General for Culture of UNESCO, explains how to avoid being taken in by this lucrative scam. 

Audio -
7'34"
A resident walks past Djingareyber Mosque in Timbuktu, Mali, once a legendary city with a large collection of treasured manuscripts, now an endangered UNESCO World Heritage Site.
UN Photo/Marco Dormino

UNESCO urges caution over fraudulent African artefacts, sold in its name

1 July 2020
Culture and Education

The UN on Wednesday revealed the existence of an illicit trafficking scam in African cultural artefacts, which are being sold to unsuspecting buyers, thanks to the entirely fake UNESCO stamp they come with.

New York City's tourist attractions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art (pictured) have closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
UN News

Covid-19 crisis closes 90 percent of museums globally, UNESCO plans for reopenings

18 May 2020
Culture and Education

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc globally, museums have not been spared, the UN cultural agency said on Monday, International Museum Day, revealing that nearly 90 per cent of the treasured cultural institutions have had to close their doors, while almost 13 per cent are under serious threat of never reopening.

Secretary-General António Guterres at the unveiling of “Recovered art: the art of saving art”. (7 January 2020)
UN News/Elizabeth Scaffidi

Tuesday’s Daily Brief: Syria, polio, DR Congo, Sudan updates, and, the art of stealing

7 January 2020
Peace and Security

Tuesday’s top stories include: A “daily nightmare” in Syria’s Idlib; polio remains an international health emergency; Guterres extends condolences as Australia bushfires continue; measles in DR Congo; clashes in Darfur displace thousands; and a celebration of stolen art.