Focus on growing Bahrain and US cultural cooperation

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The Antiquities Coalition, in collaboration with the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA) and the US Department of State and US Embassy of to Bahrain, held a webinar titled “Strengthening Bilateral Ties in the Fight Against the Illicit Trade in Cultural Property”.

The panel discussion was introduced by the Executive Director for the Antiquities Coalition D Tess Davis and featured BACA President Shaikha Mai Mohammed Al Khalifa, Acting Assistant Secretary of the US Department of State’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs Matthew Lussenhop, Smithsonian Institution Distinguished Scholar and Ambassador-at-Large Dr Richard Kurin, Advisor to the Arab Regional Center for World Heritage in Manama Dr Mounir Bouchenaki and Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy to Bahrain Maggie Nardi.

Moderated by Dr Kurin, the discussion underlined the central role of cultural leadership in enhancing global security, domestic economies and foreign diplomacy and elaborated on the dangers of illicit trafficking in cultural properties and associated terrorist activities.

The key speakers highlighted the growing challenges, especially during the pandemic, and shared their countries’ perspectives and efforts in the field.

Shaikha Mai expressed her gratitude to the Department of State and the Antiquities Coalition for organising this seminal initiative at this time when illicit traffic is booming in the region.

She stated that although Bahrain is not active in the illicit trafficking of cultural property, it is committed to heritage preservation and can play a significant role in controlling frontiers and combating illegal traffic with the support of the US.