Panel discussion

Measures to prevent illicit trafficking of cultural property, AURORA EU project

The panel will present an ongoing research project funded by the EU Horizon program “Aurora”. The participants of the panel will present activities of their institution/organisation and their national context when fighting illicit trafficking of cultural property. Discussion will highlight some of the recommendations for better preparedness of the heritage sector for dealing with this imminent threat to cultural heritage.

Lujza Varga

Hungarian National Museum

A historian and a museum professional with over 12 years’ experience in cultural heritage management. Head of the department responsible for international co-operations, project coordination & exhibition management, loans of artefacts, and CPP within the Hungarian National Museum since 2018. Recently initiated a nation-wide interdisciplinary dialogue between the cultural, military, law enforcement, humanitarian and administrative bodies on the protection of cultural heritage in crisis situations & the fight against the illicit trafficking of cultural property. Graduated at Pázmány Péter Catholic University (holding a PhD in History) and trained by HarvardX, UNESCO, ICCROM, European Security and Defence College, and the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Nataliya Chukhray

Lviv Polytechnic National University

Prof. Dr. hab. Nataliya Chukhray is Vice-Rector for Education and International Relations of Lviv Polytechnic National University (www.lp.edu.ua). Prof. Chukhray has a Habilitation in Innovation Management from Lviv Polytechnic National University (Ukraine, 2003) and Ph.D. in Economics from Lviv Polytechnic National University (Ukraine, 1993). Nataliya has a good track record in acquiring national research projects and leads interdisciplinary research projects and groups. She has published more than 350 scientific papers in conferences and journals and has supervised more than 20 doctoral students. Nataliya has also extensive experience in delivering professional consulting and training support to Ukrainian and foreign companies, local authorities, and potential businessmen in the sphere of knowledge management processes, services design and business models canvas, marketing, and organisational development for SMEs at Business Support Center NewBiznet, the leading consulting company of Western Ukraine (www.newbiznet.com.ua/index.php/en). As a business consultant and expert, she has passed international training and study cases in Great Britain, Germany, and the USA. Other functions: a member of editorial boards of 1 Polish and 3 Ukrainian magazines, leader of the national research project “Technology Transfer from Universities to Business Environment” and two international projects: (1) Horizon Europa HORIZON-CL2-2022-HERITAGE-01-07 (AURORA), Project ID:

101094245, “Artwork Unique RecognitiOn and tRacking through chemicAl encoded data, miniaturised devices and blockchain alliance” (2023-2025); (2) ERASMUS+ – 1 IT01-KA220-VET-000155046 “Craft Entrepreneurship Solutions for Youth” (2023-2025).

Olivera Djartovska Tachevska

Macedonian National Committee of Blue Shield

Olivera Djartovska Tachevska is a custodian ethnologist in the Museum of the City of Skopje and a president of Macedonian National Committee of Blue Shield, an association for the protection of cultural heritage in danger. In the Museum of the City of Skopje she is responsible for three ethnological collections: traditional professions and trading, collection of items related to the rituals, customs and beliefs and a collection of textile household goods. From 2007 to 2012 she worked in the Museum of the Old Bazaar that is an annex of the Museum of the City of Skopje and from 2012 works as a custodian ethnologist in the Museum of the City of Skopje. She is also a member of several non government associations, such as ICOM (from 2008), MNC Blue Shield (from 2009), Balkan Museum network (2023) and etc. From 2012 she was elected a secretary of the Association for Protection of Cultural Heritage in Danger – Macedonian National Committee of the Blue Shield, and was re-elected in that position on three re – elections (2012 to 2021). From 2021 was elected as a president of Macedonian National Committee of Blue Shield.

Cameron Walter

Customs Adviser and Head of Heritage Crime Task Force, Border Security and Management Unit, Transnational Threats Department, OSCE

Cameron Walter is the OSCE’s Combatting Trafficking in Cultural Property and Head of the Heritage Crime Task Force since 2020. He was a member of the initial OSCE expert roster for combatting trafficking of cultural heritage since 2017, with missions to Cyprus, Montenegro, Uzbekistan, Italy and Mongolia. Since joining permanently, the Task Force has coordinated operations, intelligence and capacity building with over 40 of the 57 OSCE participating States, Partners for Cooperation and assisted investigations/operations/training with external partners in the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, related to networks and cases with a clear linkage to the OSCE Area. The Heritage Crime Task Force is the only team of its kind in the world, bringing together police, customs, border guards, forensic investigators, museums, ministries of culture and state prosecutors to assist participating States as a rapid response team, and to deliver the world’s first simulation-based scenario training on heritage crime investigations.
Cameron began his career with the Government of Canada in 2005, following graduation from the University of Victoria with an Honours Degree in Political Science (International Relations) and History (Decolonization and Development).
He joined Canada Border Services in 2007 as head of International Relations for Europe, Africa and Middle East, focused on supply chain security, counter-terrorism, customs intelligence and trade facilitation. He also participated in numerous operations with World Customs Organization targeting heritage trafficking networks.
Cameron transferred in 2017 to Department of Canadian Heritage as Deputy Director of International Partnerships, where he coordinated efforts to expand Canada’s global creative industries trade while also building international partnerships to combat trafficking of cultural property.