Online Edition - Specialized Course on Cultural Heritage, Crime and Security: Protecting our Past to Invest in our Future

Organization: UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute

Start date: 14 Dec 2020

End date: 18 Dec 2020

Registration deadline: 6 Dec 2020

Overview

The protection of cultural heritage is a critical component within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda, as reported under Goal 11 through which countries have pledged to “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.” In particular, Target 11.4 of Goal 11 aims to “strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.”

On this point, the number of international crimes related to the looting and trafficking of cultural heritage property have significantly grown. Moreover, their links to international criminal activity, including the financing of terrorist groups, are becoming more evident year by year.

The deep concern of the United Nations on this matter is also demonstrated by the adoption in the past decades of diverse conventions reporting these phenomena as critical parts of the international crimes model. The year 2020 marks the 50^th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property.

With these considerations in mind, the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), in cooperation with the American University of Rome (AUR), is organizing the first edition of the Specialized Course on Cultural Heritage, Crime and Security - Protecting our Past to Invest in our Future which will be delivered online, from 14 to 18 December 2020.

The course will provide participants with a fundamental understanding of heritage crime and how heritage organisations, law enforcement bodies and judicial systems are responding to the issue. The course curriculum is likely to include the following topics:

Protection of cultural property: the international legal framework
Countering looting
Understanding criminal trafficking networks
Tourism security plans: the importance of the protection of cultural heritage
Armed conflicts, peacebuilding and the protection of cultural heritage
Protecting museums and heritage sites
Heritage and stability policing
Building communities and supporting development through cultural heritage

The Specialized Course offers professional, legal, social, scientific and academic perspectives through live webinars, group discussions, dynamic case studies, individual readings, and practical exercises. The faculty is composed of leading scholars and academics from AUR and other universities, as well as international legal experts from the United Nations system, international and non-governmental organizations, and civil society.

Through a dedicated online platform, participants will have the opportunity to interact with internationally recognized experts and peers from all over the world, so to build lasting professional relationships. This experience fosters intercultural dialogue and promotes a deeper understanding of the most salient issues faced by the international community in relation to cultural heritage, crime and security.

Course Methodology

This course is delivered online. It combines live webinars in our virtual classroom, led by subject matter experts, with self-paced activities and interactive group discussions.

The live webinars are conducted on a dedicated online platform. Participants need a computer (recommended) or a mobile device with audio and video capabilities, a headset with microphone to connect to the audio through the computer or mobile device, as well as a reliable internet connection. We recommend accessing audio through the computer. No special software is required. Upon acceptance to the course, participants will be provided with the information to access the platform.

The live webinars are from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Rome-time (8:00 am - 10:00 am New York-time), from Monday to Friday. Kindly note that recorded webinars will be available upon request.

Entry requirements

The course is designed for university graduates in Law, Political Science, International Relations, Economics, Social Science and other relevant disciplines. It is also addressed to young professionals working in governmental institutions, local authorities, international and non-governmental organizations seeking to deepen their understanding of most salient issues faced by the international community in relation to cultural heritage, crime and security.

Candidates must meet the following minimum requirements:

Hold a three-year university degree issued by an internationally recognized university in one of the aforementioned areas;
Have a very good working knowledge of English.

Applications from students who expect to graduate at the end of the 2020/21 academic year will also be considered.

Certificate of participation

Upon attendance of all live webinars and completion of the course activities and assignments, participants will receive a United Nations and American University of Rome certificate of participation.

How to register:

Early bird applicants

Application deadline: please complete and send the application form to unicri.courses@un.org by 25 October 2020.
Confirmation of acceptance: the results of the selection process will be communicated via e-mail, within 5 working days following receipt of the application, and no later than by 26 October 2020.
Payment deadline: full payment has to be finalized within 1 week following confirmation of acceptance, and no later than 29 October 2020 (i.e. candidates should provide UNICRI with proof of payment via E-mail to unicri.courses@un.org).

Standard applicants

Application deadline: please complete and send the application form to unicri.courses@un.org by 6 December 2020.
Confirmation of acceptance: the results of the selection process will be communicated via e-mail, within 5 working days following receipt of the application, and no later than by 7 December 2020.
Payment deadline: full payment has to be finalized within 1 week following confirmation of acceptance, and no later than 9 December 2020 (i.e. candidates should provide UNICRI with proof of payment via E-mail to unicri.courses@un.org).

Application form:

Application_form_Cultural_Heritage_2020.doc