US Embassy considers the return of valuable Libyan antiquities a victory for Libya and the world's cultural heritage.

Tripoli, March 31, 2022 (LANA)- The United States Embassy in Libya considered the return of valuable Libyan antiquities to Tripoli today as a "victory" for Libya and the world's cultural heritage, expressing once again its gratitude to the Office of the Attorney General in "Manhattan" and officials of the Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) Who participated in the investigations and the return of the stolen artifacts from the ancient city of Shahat.

   The embassy stated on its website that the US Special Envoy and US Ambassador to Libya "Richard Norland" participated virtually in the ceremony that was held for the purpose, noting that some of the wonderful and valuable artifacts are being returned today to the country to which they belong.

It also explained that the pieces returned to Libya today included the "head of a veiled female statue" from a private collection of antiquities obtained illegally, in addition to the "head" that had been in the custody of the "Metropolitan Museum" in New York since 1998, in addition to Artifacts and other artifacts that were confiscated and handed over to the Libyan Embassy in the United States.

   The embassy indicated that although smugglers illegally brought these antiquities to the United States, legal efforts have succeeded in returning them to their countries of origin.

    The embassy said the United States is proud to support efforts to return stolen antiquities to Libya as part of fulfilling its obligations under the US-Libya Bilateral Cultural Property Agreement and under the UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property.

      The US Embassy in Libya also supports the protection of cultural heritage in coordination with other Libyan and international partners.

=Lana=