Cuba reiterates commitment to preservation of cultural property

Havana, May 30 (RHC)-- Cuba's permanent representative to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Yahima Esquivel, reiterated Cuba's commitment to the implementation of the 1970 Convention to combat illicit trafficking in cultural property, the Foreign Ministry said today.

During her speech at the seventh Assembly of States Parties to the 1970 UNESCO Convention in Paris, the diplomat expressed the importance of this instrument to prohibit and prevent the import, export and transfer of these valuable resources of the heritage of the peoples.

Esquivel assured that through this mechanism it was possible to share experiences of good practices, processes of updating inventories and national registries for the protection of archaeological sites, the materialization of educational programs and cooperation among institutions.

He highlighted the efforts underway to implement a new General Law for the Protection of Cultural and Natural Heritage, considered a transcendental step in the strategy to preserve the nation's heritage values.

The 1970 Convention is a fundamental issue for Latin America and the Caribbean, and in general for developing countries, he said.

Esquivel invited the Secretariat of the 1970 Convention to establish working synergies with the Unesco Chapter of the Group of 77 plus China to promote collaboration in its field of competence. (Source:ACN)