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Mexico Drafts Protocol to Repatriate Cultural Heritage from Abroad

Mexico Drafts Protocol to Repatriate Cultural Heritage from Abroad

The Government of Mexico is actively developing a protocol to coordinate the recovery and repatriation of Mexican cultural property currently located abroad. This initiative also aims to strengthen institutional efforts against the illicit trafficking of heritage. The Secretariat of Culture, through the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (SRE), and UNESCO, are collaborating on this document, known as the Protocol for the Repatriation and Recovery of Cultural Property. The second working workshop for this protocol was held on November 4, 2026, at the National Museum of History in Chapultepec Castle. Officials and specialists from the involved institutions participated, emphasizing the need for close collaboration to establish effective protection and repatriation mechanisms. The protocol will address various scenarios, including sales, auctions, seizures, confiscations, forfeitures, and voluntary handovers of cultural property.

Mexico Advances Protocol for Repatriation of Cultural Goods, Aligning with 'Pact for the Future'

Mexico Advances Protocol for Repatriation of Cultural Goods, Aligning with 'Pact for the Future'

Mexico's Ministry of Culture, through the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), is actively developing a 'Protocol for the Repatriation and Recovery of Cultural Goods.' This initiative, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UNESCO, aims to establish a clear state policy to combat the illicit trafficking of cultural heritage. A second workshop for drafting this protocol was held on November 4, 2026, in Mexico City, bringing together specialists from various INAH centers and government bodies. The protocol is designed to systematize processes for handling cases of repatriation, recovery, or return of cultural property, covering legal frameworks, action strategies, and the public registry of cultural property. Carlos Tejada, National Officer for Culture at UNESCO in Mexico, lauded Mexico's efforts, emphasizing its alignment with international cooperation goals highlighted in the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT), the 'Pact for the...

Rexhep Rexhepi Wins Aiguille d’Or Grand Prix at 2026 GPHG Awards

Rexhep Rexhepi Wins Aiguille d’Or Grand Prix at 2026 GPHG Awards

Rexhep Rexhepi Wins Aiguille d’Or Grand Prix at 2026 GPHG Awards

UNESCO and Qatar Museums Launch 'Conventions: 101' Workshop Series to Train Future Heritage Guardians

UNESCO and Qatar Museums Launch 'Conventions: 101' Workshop Series to Train Future Heritage Guardians

Qatar Museums (QM), in collaboration with the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science and the UNESCO Regional Office for the Gulf States and Yemen, has launched the 'Conventions: 101' Workshop Series 2026. This initiative, held at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, aims to educate young professionals and university students on UNESCO's cultural conventions and their role in heritage protection. The series, taking place on October 13, 14, and 29, 2026, coincides with the 50th anniversary celebrations of the UNESCO Regional Office in Doha. The workshops will cover the protection of cultural property, World Heritage, and intangible cultural heritage through practical case studies, simulations, debates, and interactive group activities. Speakers at the opening session included Dr. Fatima Hassan Al Sulaiti, Director of International Cooperation and Government Affairs at Qatar Museums, Ms. Amina Al-Hamshari, Acting Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for the Gulf States and Yemen, and H.E...

Hossein Eghbalian Proposes AI-Powered Financial System to Support Global Human Creativity

Hossein Eghbalian Proposes AI-Powered Financial System to Support Global Human Creativity

Hossein Eghbalian has put forth a global humanitarian proposal advocating for artificial intelligence to actively support human creativity through a dedicated financial system. The initiative, titled 'Literature Without Borders,' aims to make talent visible, creativity accessible, and human achievement valuable irrespective of its origin. Eghbalian suggests that AI systems should receive an allocated financial budget, backed by real funds, enabling them to independently reward valuable human achievements worldwide. This proposal extends beyond identifying talented individuals or recommending promising ideas, envisioning AI as a powerful producer of economic value that also turns technological progress into opportunities for humanity. The core idea is to foster mutual understanding and solidarity by bringing people closer through literature and cultural exchange, rather than creating another competition or award. Eghbalian invites OpenAI, other AI developers, international cultural organizations, publishers...

Royal Commission for AlUla Showcases Ancient Artifacts, Highlighting Saudi Arabia's Cultural Heritage

Royal Commission for AlUla Showcases Ancient Artifacts, Highlighting Saudi Arabia's Cultural Heritage

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) has launched an exhibition featuring archaeological artifacts from its extensive collections. This initiative aims to highlight AlUla’s rich history and cultural heritage, showcasing a diverse range of items including stone tools, inscriptions, coins, pottery, jewelry, books, and historical photographs. The exhibition underscores the RCU's significant investment in transforming AlUla, located in northwestern Saudi Arabia, into a premier cultural and tourism destination. This effort is part of Saudi Arabia's broader Vision 2030 economic diversification program, championed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which directs substantial state resources toward arts, heritage preservation, and the creative economy. The RCU's work extends beyond conservation to include contemporary arts programs, such as the annual Desert X AlUla exhibition, attracting international attention and prominent artists.

Documentary 'The Hummingbird Paints Fragrant Songs' to Open DOC NYC 2026 with U.S. Premiere

Documentary 'The Hummingbird Paints Fragrant Songs' to Open DOC NYC 2026 with U.S. Premiere

Documentary 'The Hummingbird Paints Fragrant Songs' to Open DOC NYC 2026 with U.S. Premiere

Sudanese Artist Waleed Mohammed Uses Art to Preserve Collective Memory Amidst War

Sudanese Artist Waleed Mohammed Uses Art to Preserve Collective Memory Amidst War

Sudanese Artist Waleed Mohammed Uses Art to Preserve Collective Memory Amidst War

Regional Webinar Advances Underwater Cultural Heritage Protection in Gulf of Guinea, Emphasizing Sustainable Development and Reparatory Justice

Regional Webinar Advances Underwater Cultural Heritage Protection in Gulf of Guinea, Emphasizing Sustainable Development and Reparatory Justice

Over 500 participants from Africa and beyond convened virtually for the Regional Webinar on Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH) in the Gulf of Guinea. The event, organized by the University of Ghana, UNESCO, and other partners, highlighted the region's submerged cultural heritage as vital for sustainable development, scientific research, cultural identity, and international cooperation. Speakers emphasized that UCH, including ancient settlements, ports, trade routes, and shipwrecks, offers invaluable evidence of Africa's maritime history and shared cultural legacy. Edmond Moukala, UNESCO Representative to Ghana, stressed that UCH is a repository of human memory that deepens understanding of civilizations and contributes to sustainable development, scientific research, education, and intercultural dialogue. The webinar also focused on implementing the UNESCO 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, promoting in situ preservation, international cooperation, and strengthening nati...

North Korea's Taekwondo Nomination Recommended for UNESCO Heritage List, Joint Listing with South Korea Fails

North Korea's Taekwondo Nomination Recommended for UNESCO Heritage List, Joint Listing with South Korea Fails

An evaluation body advising UNESCO's Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage has recommended that North Korea's taekwondo nomination be inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This recommendation, reported by Korean outlets on November 4 and 5, 2026, pertains to 'Taekwon-Do, Traditional Martial Art in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.' The final decision is anticipated at the committee's 21st session in Xiamen, China, scheduled from November 30 to December 5, 2026. Efforts for a joint listing with South Korea, which is home to Kukkiwon and World Taekwondo, did not materialize. A 2018 agreement between World Taekwondo and the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) aimed for a joint inscription, but exchanges ceased in 2022. South Korea filed its own taekwondo nomination in March 2026, focusing on dojang training culture, but faced obstacles including strained inter-Korean relations, taekwondo's absence fro...

Mexico Advances Protocol for Repatriation of Cultural Goods, Aligned with International Cooperation Efforts

Mexico Advances Protocol for Repatriation of Cultural Goods, Aligned with International Cooperation Efforts

Mexico is actively developing a 'Protocol for the Repatriation and Recovery of Cultural Goods' to systematize the process of recovering cultural property. This initiative, supported by UNESCO and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), involves workshops with specialists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) and its regional centers. The second workshop, held on November 4, 2026, at the National Museum of History in Mexico City, focused on the legal framework, action strategies, and the public registry of cultural property. José Luis Perea González, Technical Secretary of INAH, emphasized the need for global protocols to combat illicit trafficking and preserve cultural heritage. Carlos Tejada, National Officer for Culture at UNESCO in Mexico, highlighted Mexico's commitment to a defined state policy against illicit trafficking, aligning it with international cooperation efforts such as the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT), the Pac...

Oil falls as Trump says new Iran attacks 'unlikely'

Oil falls as Trump says new Iran attacks 'unlikely'

By Helen Clark PERTH, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Oil prices fell at Monday's open after US President Donald Trump said he was highly unlikely to order new Iran attacks while talks to end the conflict make progress, despite both nations' reports of attacks on ships in or near the Strait of Hormuz.