The European Union is ready
to contribute to the creation of a task force to be deployed in
areas of conflict or natural disaster to protect cultural
heritage sites worldwide, EU foreign policy chief Federica
Mogherini said on Wednesday.
In a note, Mogherini said that the Italian initiative to
set up the task force "paves the way for intervention that will
set the example for the whole international community".
"Defending cultural heritage is a duty from which we cannot
back out, a moral obligation towards future generations", stated
Mogherini.
The task force, to include officers from Italy's
Carabinieri military police art squad, was set up thanks to an
agreement between Italy and UNESCO last year, which was part of
the global campaign 'Unite4Heritage' powered by the organization
to protect cultural heritage sites.
It will contribute to a global cultural battle against
radicalization and terrorism not only to prevent terror
organizations from getting funding through illegal trades but
also to preserve artwork worldwide, Mogherini also said.
"The European Union, which has long worked on cultural
diplomacy, is ready to contribute to the Task Force of UNESCO
for the preservation of cultural heritage, in cooperation with
Italy and other EU member states", concluded the foreign policy
chief.
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