News – Report on CPAC Public Hearing, May 20-23, 2025

May 28, 2025

The Cultural Property Advisory Committee (CPAC) met from May 20-23. The Archaeological Institute of America (AIA), represented by its Vice President for Cultural Heritage Ömür Harmanşah, expressed strong support for all five proposed memoranda of understanding (MOUs), speaking specifically on those with the governments of Italy, Morocco, and Vietnam to safeguard their cultural patrimony. Founded by a Congressional charter in 1906, the AIA is the world’s largest archaeological organization committed to ethical archaeological practice and the preservation of global heritage.

In its submitted letters, the AIA provided evidence of ongoing threats to archaeological sites in all three countries despite substantial efforts by local authorities. These include Italy’s renowned Carabinieri art squad, Morocco’s successful recovery of looted artifacts, and documentation of extensive site looting in Vietnam. Each country has demonstrated compliance with the 1970 UNESCO Convention through robust legal frameworks and public engagement, such as museum exhibitions and cultural programming. The AIA emphasized that import restrictions are essential for reducing the demand for illicit antiquities and protecting archaeological sites that serve the public interest in education and scientific inquiry.

“The safeguarding of archaeological sites from looting, the development of site museums, and the presentation of archaeological collections in Italy, Morocco and Vietnam’s museums are of great interest to the international community of archaeologists and enthusiasts alike. Import restrictions, which are intended to decrease looting by denying traffickers access to legitimate antiquities markets, support this effort by reducing the incentive to pillage archaeological sites that otherwise contribute to public education.” – Ömür Harmanşah, AIA Vice President for Cultural Heritage

What is a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)?

In 1983, Congress passed the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act (CPIA), which enables the United States to enter into agreements, known as Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), with individual countries to further protect cultural resources. This legislation established the Cultural Property Advisory Committee (CPAC), which considers requests for the initiation or renewal of a MoU. A key component of each MoU is the United States’ commitment to restrict the import of undocumented archaeological objects. To learn more about the history of the CPIA and the process by which a MoU is agreed to and renewed, you can download this overview.

The Cultural Property Advisory Committee meets a few times a year. Be on the lookout for future opportunities to advocate for cultural heritage in advance of upcoming meetings!