Representational Image. Reuters
Istanbul: The general consul of Turkiye in New York confirmed that twelve stolen artefacts were returning home, according to Anadolu News Agency report.
Reyhan Ozgur said at a repatriation ceremony, “The momentum of the cooperation is not only encouraging deeper cooperation between Turkiye and the US, but is also inspirational for the global community combating cultural property smuggling.”
The message that buying, possessing, and selling cultural artefacts illegally will have repercussions is sent loud and clear to all smugglers, dealers, and collectors.
Antiquities trafficking, according to Ozgur, poses a “tremendous threat to our common cultural heritage.”
“That is why as the Republic of Turkiye, within this group of artefacts, there are pieces from every different region of our country such as Burdur, Konya, Sanliurfa, Canakkale, Manisa, Antalya and Eastern Anatolia,” he said.
Ozgur stated that 1,203 cultural goods were returned to Turkiye between 2002 and 2023, underscoring the country’s efforts to combat cultural property smuggling and safeguard the history of the different civilizations that formerly called Anatolian territories home.
The Memorandum of Understanding between Turkiye and the US, noted Ozgur, played a part in bringing the facts together.
Both Matthew Bogdanos and Lisa DelPizzo, assistant district attorneys for New York County, expressed their joy for the repatriation and promised to keep collaborating closely with Turkiye.
According to representatives of the New York Cultural Attach?, a Turkish Airlines cargo flight will be used to transport the twelve relics to Turkiye later on Wednesday.
A bronze statue of Septimus Severus from Burdur’s Boubon Ancient City was among the historical artifacts, and, according to Turkish diplomatic sources, it is very significant.
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