Egypt to host intl meeting on artifacts stolen during imperialism

Egypt has announced plans to convene an international meeting for countries affected by the smuggling of antiquities during the age of imperialism. The move comes in the wake of the revelation that over 2,000 artifacts were stolen from the British Museum, which has raised concerns about the credibility of several Western museums.

Zahi Hawass, former Egyptian Minister of Antiquities and a renowned archaeologist, has proposed the meeting and discussed it with the current Minister of Antiquities, who expressed readiness to take action.

Hawass suggested that the meeting should outline a course of action and seek intervention from UNESCO, highlighting the failure of many Western nations to adhere to international agreements that prohibit the acquisition of looted antiquities.

Hawass convened such a meeting also in 2010, bringing together over twenty countries.

See also: Egypt’s Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Mostafa Waziri on Saturday confirmed that communication is ongoing with the British Museum regarding details of Pharaonic artifacts that were stolen.