Paris, 20 May 2025 — Cuba took an active part in the Eighth Meeting of States Parties to the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, held on 19 and 20 May at UNESCO Headquarters.
During her statement, the Cuban delegate Laura Álvarez Delgado emphasized the importance of the expansion of the Convention’s membership, with the recent accession of new States Parties, as a key element in strengthening international cooperation in the protection of cultural heritage and the fight against illicit trafficking in cultural property.
The Cuban diplomat underscored the country's institutional and legal progress since ratifying the Convention in 1980, particularly the work of the Cuban Register of Cultural Property, the National Council for Cultural Heritage, and the ongoing training of customs, museum, and enforcement authorities. The entry into force of the 2023 General Law on the Protection of Cultural and Natural Heritage was also highlighted, along with its early-stage implementation strategy focused on awareness-raising and capacity-building.
The delegate further welcomed the training activities promoted by the Convention Secretariat over the past two years, particularly those targeting priority groups such as Small Island Developing States, of which Cuba is a part.
Cuba also praised the initiative of the Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural Objects, launched in the lead-up to MONDIACULT 2025, and reiterated its willingness to actively contribute to this important event, advocating for an inclusive approach.
The delegation also highlighted the celebration in Cuba of International Museum Day, on 18 May, with the keynote lecture "Museums for Education and Research", held at the Aula Magna of the University of Havana. The event recognized the essential role of museums in preserving the historical memory of peoples and their responsibility in promoting civic practices for the protection of cultural and natural heritage.
Cuba reaffirmed its commitment to continuing its work with the international community to defend heritage as a fundamental component of the identity, memory, and sovereignty of peoples.