Press Center

Thursday, September 17th Daily Dispatch from the 2009 Aspen Cultural Diplomacy Forum

Avilés, Asturias, Spain, September 17, 2009 – Today, on the final day of the Aspen Cultural Diplomacy Forum, speakers discussed how they could move the wealth of discussion into action back in their communities. The Aspen Cultural Diplomacy Forum, a convening of the Aspen Institute and the Centro Niemeyer, was held in Avilés, Asturias, Spain. The Forum, which runs September 15-17, 2009, seeks to champion the role of arts, media, and culture in resolving conflicts, encouraging tolerance, building peace, creating jobs, and, in turn, fostering sustainable security around the globe. Video clips will be available on www.aspencdf.org, and updates will be featured on www.facebook.com/aspeninstitute and #aspencdf on Twitter. For more information on sessions and speaker bios download our program book at http://www.aspeninstitute.org/sites/default/files/content/images/cdf/aspencdf_program2.pdf.

Reporters and editors: Broadcast-quality audio and video available for a number of sessions. For more information, contact Jennifer Myers at jennifer.myers@aspeninstitute.org.

Quotes:

  • “All wars cause destruction. The question is once the shooting stops, what happens to the monuments?”
    — Andras Riedlmayer, Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture, Harvard University
  • “Objects that you buy now, you are going to have to sell in a market that is even more disciplined. … The [art] markets are becoming more like financial markets.”
    — Thomas Kline, Partner, Andrews Kurth LLP
  • “No one thinks about the German people, what they lost as well [in WWII].”
    — Robert Wittman, Robert Wittman Inc., FBI Art Crime Team
  • “As with everything with law, the lawmaker comes always after the battle and traffickers are very inventive. There are very legal ways to sell artifacts in Paris, in London, in NY that are notably looted.”
    —Julien Anfruns, Director General, International Council of Museums
  • “War is a great opportunity for robbing culture.”
    —Jean-Francois Angevin-Romey, Politico-Military Analyst and International Security Specialist, Corporate Operational Strategies
  • “I’m not certain new media is going to hold onto its collectable place … because it’s so easily downloadable, it’s so easily disseminated.”
    —Pamela Auchincloss, CEO, Artists Pension Trust

Cultural Diplomacy Forum Online:

*Editors note: Images from the Aspen Cultural Diplomacy Forum are available upon request.*

For more information about the Aspen Cultural Diplomacy Forum, please contact:

Jennifer Myers
The Aspen Institute
202-286-1680
jennifer.myers@aspeninstitute.org