The Written Heritage of Mankind in Peril: Theft, Retrieval, Sale and Restitution of Rare Books, Maps and Manuscripts

The theft of and illicit trafficking in rare books, maps and manuscripts looted from sovereign and other libraries and similar repositories around the world is a global problem that threatens the preservation of the recorded history of mankind.  Remarkably, however, there have been few conferences devoted to the examination of the many issues that pertain to this problem.

Consequently, the Art Law Commission of the UIA has teamed up with the British Library and the Institute of Art and Law in London to invite those who deal with rare books and other priceless written materials, including representatives of dealers, collectors, auction houses, national collections, law enforcement officials, security experts, attorneys and others, to present a full-day comprehensive seminar devoted to a thorough review of the many aspects of this global epidemic.

Upon the conclusion of the seminar, the various participants and attendees will be encouraged to continue the discussion throughout the following year to address the problems raised at the conference and begin to develop a comprehensive set of principles that we hope will lead to the development of solutions to prevent widespread theft and trafficking and restore stolen items to their rightful owners for the benefit of everyone.  The plan would be to then hold a follow up seminar in New York in 2016 to assess progress in this area and plan future actions.

We invite you to join us in London for this important seminar!     

The cost of attendance is £60.00.

For the program, list of speakers and to register visit www.bl.uk/events/the-written-heritage-of-mankind-in-peril