Summer School on International Cultural Heritage Law, 22 June - 3 July 2015

The summer school aims to develop the students’ awareness and general understanding of the main substantive themes of international cultural heritage law, namely: the trade in cultural objects; the restitution of stolen or looted artworks; the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict; the protection of the built heritage from natural and human-induced disasters; the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage and of the diversity of cultural expressions; the relationship between cultural heritage law and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO); the settlement of cultural heritage disputes.

The lecturers will examine the legal instruments adopted by UNESCO and will describe the complex relationship between International Cultural Heritage Law and other fields of law – namely general international law, human rights law, intellectual property law, and international investment law – and with the issue of dispute settlement. Finally, the summer school will bring out the challenges to cultural heritage that emanate from new threats. To name but a few: reduced protection of sites and monuments due to lack of public money and political support; natural catastrophes; increasing exploitation of cultural resources by organized criminal organizations; art forgeries; and damage to cultural sites caused by human activities.

For more information and application see: http://www.genevasummerschools.ch/courses-2015/international-protection-of-cultural-heritage-law