The governments of the United States and Nepal have signed a Cultural Property Agreement. The agreement was signed during a special program held in Kathmandu on Thursday.
The agreement was signed on behalf of the United States by U.S. Ambassador to Nepal Dean R. Thompson, and on behalf of Nepal by Mukunda Prasad Niraula, Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.
Speaking on the occasion, Secretary Niraula said the agreement would further strengthen bilateral relations by reinforcing the shared responsibility to protect cultural property as irreplaceable evidence of human history, identity, and civilization. He expressed Nepal’s high appreciation for the continued and commendable support of the U.S. government in preventing the illicit trafficking of cultural objects, particularly in the successful return and conservation of stolen and illegally exported cultural property.
He added that the agreement would contribute to the exchange of information, preventive measures, capacity building, and increased public awareness to ensure the protection of cultural heritage for present and future generations.
U.S. Ambassador Dean R. Thompson also highlighted that cultural property agreements are a central pillar of U.S. cultural heritage policy. He stated that with the signing of this agreement, Nepal has joined 30 other countries worldwide that have entered into such agreements with the United States.
“These agreements help protect U.S. collectors, museums, and cultural institutions from unknowingly acquiring looted or trafficked antiquities, and they disrupt the financial networks of terrorists and international criminal organizations that exploit the trade in cultural property,” Ambassador Thompson said.
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