Sports and Culture Committee Set to Deliberate on Treaty For Safeguarding Cultural Artifacts
The National Assembly’s Sports and Culture Committee held a meeting with key government agencies and organizations to discuss the ratification of the UNESCO 1970 treaty.
In a Session chaired by Teso South MP, Hon. Mary Emaase, officials from the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage, the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, the Office of the Attorney General, the Department of Justice, the Law Society of Kenya, and the Kenya National Commission for UNESCO present submissions before the committee.
The UNESCO 1970 treaty seeks to combat the illegal trade of cultural artefacts by prohibiting their illicit import, export, and transfer of ownership.
During the session, the committee was informed that there are currently more than 32,000 artefacts held in museums around the world, and ratifying the treaty would facilitate the repatriation of these items to their rightful places.
The committee members pledged their commitment to ensuring the ratification of the treaty. They emphasized that doing so would protect Kenya’s cultural heritage, stressing that it is an integral part of the country’s identity.
The ratification of the UNESCO Convention treaty is a crucial step towards the protection of Kenya’s cultural heritage. The committee’s role is to ensure a thorough and transparent process, including public participation, and provide recommendations to the National Assembly regarding the ratification of the Convention.
Mwingi West MP Hon Charles Nguna stated that “We will expedite and fully support this treaty and have it before the floor of the house. We have to protect our culture and make sure that whatever belongs to Kenya returns to Kenya.”
It is worth noting that the UNESCO 1970 Treaty has been ratified by numerous countries worldwide, among them 39 African countries. This commitment to the protection of cultural heritage comes as a welcome step in the global fight against looting, smuggling, and trafficking of such items
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