Switzerland and Turkey sign agreement on cultural property
The Byzantine-era Hagia Sophia, one of Istanbul's main cultural and historical sites
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved
Interior Minister Alain Berset and the Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, have signed a bilateral agreement on the international transfer of cultural property. The agreement is intended to preserve both countries' cultural heritage.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/ts
Español
es
Suiza y Turquía firman un acuerdo sobre bienes culturales
The agreement, signed in Ankara on Tuesday, covers archaeological objects dating from the prehistoric period to AD1500, which are particularly affected by unlawful excavations and illegal trade, the interior ministry said in a statementExternal link.
“The agreement regulates the legal requirements for importing cultural property into one of the two countries that are party to the treaty,” it said. “Furthermore, it sets out the modalities of repatriating unlawfully imported cultural property. Finally, the agreement regulates mutual reporting and promotes cooperation on fighting the illegal transfer of cultural property.”
The global trade in cultural property has grown significantly in recent decades. The legal art trade has increased, but so has the illegal transfer of cultural property, which causes serious and often irreversible damage to cultural heritage.
The government may conclude international treaties – bilateral agreements – on the import and repatriation of cultural property with countries that have ratified the 1970 UNESCO Convention. These agreements protect cultural and foreign affairs interests and secure cultural heritage. Switzerland has already concluded such agreements with Italy, Greece, Colombia, China, Egypt, Cyprus, Peru and Mexico.
More
More
Switzerland returns stolen artefacts to Italy
This content was published on
Switzerland is working closely with the Italian authorities to secure the return of stolen cultural treasures.
Consumer group files legal complaint against Swiss shoemaker On
This content was published on
The consumer affairs bureau of French-speaking Switzerland has filed a legal complaint against On accusing it of greenwashing.
This content was published on
Thomas Schinecker, CEO of Swiss pharma firm Roche, has dismissed fears that sales targets would be under threat by US tariffs.
This content was published on
Researchers are asking the Swiss public for help in naming two newly discovered Swiss fish species of the genus Barbatula.
Science alliance warns against Swiss government’s cost-cutting plans
This content was published on
An alliance of research and science institutions have warned of dire consequences if the Swiss government goes ahead with its austerity package.
Accidents during leisure time on the rise in Switzerland
This content was published on
IN 2024 more people had accidents during leisure time than in the previous year. Some 26% of all sports accidents happened playing football.
This content was published on
Apple's iPhones have gained further market share in Switzerland. Around half of all smartphone owners used a model from the US tech giant last year.
Switzerland returns pre-Columbian treasures to Peru
This content was published on
Switzerland has returned 48 pre-Colombian artefacts of ‘inestimable’ value to Peru that had been discovered at the Geneva free port facility.
Saving the spirit of communities through cultural heritage
This content was published on
Nine cities around the world, including Geneva, Mosul and Timbuktu, are now working together to protect cultural heritage.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.