Unesco creates virtual museum of stolen cultural objects

UNESCO announced the creation of the first virtual museum of stolen cultural objects.

According to UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Cultural Affairs, Ernesto Ottone, around 600 stolen artefacts from around the world will be put on virtual displayin order for the whole world to learn their history and to raise awareness about trafficking and the unique importance of cultural heritage.

Proud to present the @UNESCO Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural Objects, designed by celebrated architect #FrancisKéré and planned to go live in 2025.

Stealing a cultural object = stealing the soul of a community. We must come together urgently to fight #IllicitTrafficking. pic.twitter.com/CjyTh64glm

— Ernesto Ottone R. (@ErnestoOttoneR) October 3, 2023

The virtual museum, worth 2.3 million euros, is expected to open to the public in 2025.

In it, the user will be able to admire 600 objects of world cultural heritage that no one knows where they are, with the aim of locating and eventually repatriating them.

Unesco planning virtual museum of stolen cultural artefacts https://t.co/EqtnGAVE6h

— Guardian culture (@guardianculture) October 6, 2023

According to the Guardian, in the virtual museum with the artifacts sought by the authorities they will “upload” one 7th century alabaster lion relief e.g. which has been stolen from the Baghdad museum in 2003, a green stone mask which strangers took from their temple Yeastin Guatemala and one figurine from the 5th-6th century stolen from a temple complex in her Rajasthan of India in 1988.