The United States Government, in partnership with the Government of Ecuador and Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), organized a workshop focused on preventing the illicit trafficking of cultural property. The event took place from February 13 to February 17 at the USFQ campus.
The workshop was attended by 27 public servants from the Technical Committee on Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property. Participants included local experts and representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Advisory Committee on Cultural Property of the U.S. Department of State. These organizations are dedicated to protecting cultural heritage.
U.S. Ambassador to Ecuador, Michael J. Fitzpatrick, emphasized during his opening remarks that "the trafficking of cultural property is identity theft," highlighting its impact on a people's history and urging collective efforts for preservation.
Throughout the week, participants engaged in discussions covering various topics such as crimes against cultural heritage, evidence collection, identification of physical cultural property, and handling objects. A field visit to Perucho allowed participants to experience a crime scene simulation led by an FBI agent at a cultural heritage site.
This initiative aligns with the 2020 Memorandum of Understanding concerning importation restrictions on archaeological and ethnological materials from Ecuador aimed at safeguarding Ecuador's cultural heritage.
Illicit trafficking poses a global challenge, inflicting irreversible harm on cultural heritage and depriving communities of their historical legacy.