Abdul Karim Khuram, the Afghan Minister of Information and Culture, and Mark Sedwill, the British Ambassador to Afghanistan, attended a ceremony at the Afghan National Museum in Kabul on 6 September to mark the return of over 2000 Afghan artefacts.

The artefacts were seized by British custom and revenue officials as they were being smuggled through Heathrow airport in London. The priceless collection weighed over 3 tonnes and included items from throughout Afghan history, some dating back 3000 years. Their return to Afghanistan was a complicated process and involved the National Geographic Society, Afghan Red Crescent, British Red Cross, the British Museum, as well as the British and Afghan Governments.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Afghan Minister of Information and Culture thanked the UK government for their part in returning what he described as the "backbone" of Afghan history. He added that the collection's return was a " big achievement" in the revitalisation of Afghan culture.

The British Ambassador, referring to the losses inflicted on Afghan culture over the decades of civil war, said: "today we have the opportunity to put back in place one of the building blocks of Afghanistan's future - rebuilding Afghanistan's culture heritage".

Following the ceremony, the Museum formally opened an exhibition of some of the returned artefacts including beautiful metal work and Bronze Age tools.

Margaret Hodge, UK Minsiter for Culture said of the return of the artefacts: "It is wonderful that these priceless treasures have been rescued through the fantastic collaboration of the British Government, experts from Afghanistan, the Red Cross and others. Too often a country's heritage and culture suffer irreparable damage during warfare, and criminals will take whatever chance they get to pillage museums and holy places, stripping them of their priceless treasures. Artefacts and antiquities are at the heart of teaching people about their cultural heritage, and the return of these stolen riches to Afghanistan for future generations is the first step in rebuilding the country."

 

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