It is evident that the need to protect cultural objects exceeds the interest of a single owner or a bona fide purchaser, the State of an object's origin or the State where an object is located. Despite the complexity of weighing the contending interests and selecting appropriate rules from a welter of norms and customs, why can't we envisage a truly comprehensive set of international principles, practices and procedures, to protect the cultural heritage of mankind? Toward this end, the Centre for Studies and Research of The Hague Academy of International Law's programme provided a unique opportunity for organized exploration and analysis. This volume presents the resulting studies prepared by the Directors of Research, together with the more specific reports by the researchers working within the Centre. Together they offer an insightful analysis of the importance of fashioning durable rules and institutions for protecting the cultural heritage of mankind from the risks of armed conflict or illegal trafficking.
