In Libya, Mali, Haiti and too many places around the world, armed conflict threatens historic places and artifacts that are at the heart of local and national cultures. The intentional destruction of archaeological sites in Syria is one large and visible example. Museum curators and preservation specialists are working worldwide to prevent and respond to this enormous and dangerous challenge. Please join us for a talk by a key leader in this field, Ms. Corine Wegener from the Smithsonian Institute.
Corine Wegener is the founder of the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting cultural property worldwide during armed conflict, and helped lead efforts to recover artifacts for the National Museum of Iraq after looting there. She works throughout the world helping museums protect against looting, strengthening international laws to safeguard antiquities, and engaging front line soldiers on the importance of shared culture.