“Missing works of Art”: an exhibition organized by CPKU in Tuzla

The Center Against Trafficking in Works of Art – CPKU with the support of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Mission to OSCE in Bosnia and Herzegovina organizes the exhibition “Missing Works” and a panel discussion on the topic: “The fight against smuggling of cultural goods in Bosnia and Herzegovina”. The event will be held on Thursday, November 30, 2023 at the International Portrait Gallery Tuzla.

The exhibition entitled “Missing works” is open to the public and visitors and participants will be presented with reproductions and information about missing works from galleries, museums and private collections in Bosnia and Herzegovina based on reports submitted to the competent authorities and information from the Missing Parts Database. Center against Trafficking in Works of Art – CPKU. The exhibition will also present information on destruction and theft at archaeological sites, seizures, illegal sale of artifacts through social networks, use of metal detectors for illegal research and robberies. The ICOM Red List of potentially endangered cultural heritage items of Southeastern Europe will also be presented.

After the opening of the exhibition, a “Panel discussion” will be held, where the participants will be informed about the current situation when it comes to illegal art trade in Bosnia and Herzegovina and beyond. Due to its location, Bosnia and Herzegovina is a very suitable ground for art smuggling, not only as a source from which valuable art comes, but also as a transit for transporting stolen art further to Europe and the world. The fight against smuggling of art and cultural goods occupies an important place in the world when it comes to security, especially when it is known that after drug and arms trade, trade in cultural goods is in third place as a source of profit for criminal and terrorist groups in the world.

At the panel discussion, it will be proposed to launch initiatives related to the fight against illegal trade in art, money laundering, financing of organized crime and terrorism from funds earned through illegal trade in cultural goods and in accordance with existing international conventions that are binding for Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the end of the presentation of the attendees and the discussion on this topic, conclusions will be drawn that will serve as guidelines for the future work of state bodies in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Representatives from all parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina will take part in this event, including: Border Police, Customs, Entity Police, Cantonal Police, State Police, Prosecutor’s Offices, Training Centers for Judges and Prosecutors, Agency for Training Professionals at the Ministry of Security, Ministries of Culture, the Ministry of Justice of BiH, the academic community, institutes for the protection of cultural assets, state parliamentarians, the Commission for the Protection of Cultural Assets of BiH, UNESCO, ICOM, the Service for Affairs with Foreigners, representatives of museums, galleries, libraries, archives, the non-governmental sector, as well as private collectors.

About the Center Against Trafficking in Works of Art – CPKU