Protecting Cultural Property: The 1954 Hague Convention at 70

Video of this event is forthcoming.

Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the 1954 Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, the 25th Anniversary of its Second Protocol, and the 15th Anniversary of US Ratification.  Co-sponsored by the US Committee of the Blue Shield. 

  • Session 1: Overview of the Legal Framework for Protection of Cultural Heritage during Armed Conflict and O&A

  • Session 2: "Around the World" Updates on the Status of Cultural Heritage during Armed Conflict and Natural Disaster

  • Session 3: Market Panel: How Can and Should the Market Respond to Looting and Thefts During Armed Conflicts and Natural Disasters?

  • Session 4: Cultural Heritage, Indigenous and Minority Communities, and Human Rights

Information Regarding New York CLE Credits:

Columbia Law School has been certified by the New York State Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Board as an Accredited Provider of CLE programs. Under New York State CLE regulations, this traditional live classroom for newly admitted and experienced CLE Program will provide 5.5 hours of New York CLE credit in the Areas of Professional Practice category. This CLE credit is awarded to New York attorneys for full attendance of each individual session of the Program. Attorneys seeking credit must affirm arrival and departure times with a signature in the registers. On sign-out on departure, attorneys should also submit their completed Evaluation Form, furnished at the Conference. This attendance verification procedure is required by the New York State CLE Board. Please note the NYS Certificates of Attendance will be sent to the email address as it appears in the register unless otherwise noted there.

AGENDA

9:00 a.m. EST - Check-in

9:30 a.m. EST - Welcome Remarks on behalf of USCBS, CLS and RAM

9:40 a.m. EST - Session 1: Overview of the Legal Framework for Protection of Cultural Heritage during Armed Conflict and O&A

Moderator: Jane Levine, Columbia Law School, Managing Partner of The ArtRisk Group

Presenter: Prof. Patty Gerstenblith, DePaul College of Law

10:30 a.m. EST - Break 

10:45 a.m. EST - Session 2: "Around the World" Updates on the Status of Cultural Heritage during Armed Conflict and Natural Disaster

Moderator: Pippa Loengard, Columbia Law School, Executive Director of the Kernochan Center 

Commentators:

  • Sudan: Prof. Solange Ashby, University of California, Los Angeles (armed conflict)
  • Türkiye: Prof. Ömür Harmanşah, University of Illinois, Chicago (earthquake)
  • Ukraine: Roksolana Makar, Ukrainian Heritage Monitoring Lab (armed conflict)
  • Afghanistan: Mohammad Fahim Rahimi, former Director of the Afghanistan National Museum and Director of the Cultural Heritage of Afghanistan Conservation and Research Institute (armed conflict)
  • Guatemala (Central America): Samuel Franco Arce, Cultural Rescue Center (natural disaster)
  • U.S. Actions to protect cultural heritage in armed conflict: Corine Wegener, Director, Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative

12:15 p.m. EST - Lunch Break
Lunch generously sponsored by US Committee of the Blue Shield

1:30 p.m. EST - Session 3: Market Panel: How Can and Should the Market Respond to Looting and Thefts During Armed Conflicts and Natural Disasters?

Moderator: Cathy Kaplan, Columbia Law School

Presenter: Jane Levine, Columbia Law School, Managing Partner of The ArtRisk Group 

Commentators:

  • Lucian Simmons, Sotheby's
  • Nicholas O'Donnell, Sullivan & Worcester LLP
  • Birgit Kurtz, Responsible Art Market Initiative

2:45 p.m. EST - Break

3:00 p.m. EST - Session 4: Cultural Heritage, Indigenous and Minority Communities, and Human Rights

Moderator: James Reap, US Committee of the Blue Shield

Speakers:

  • Prof. Federico Lenzerini, University of Siena
  • Prof. Brian I. Daniels, Director of Research, Penn Cultural Heritage Center at the University of Pennsylvania Museum

4:15 p.m. EST - Closing Remarks