Interviews with the Secretary-General

Journalists most often question the Secretary-General on trafficking in cultural property, on market transparency and on how the Desk works. Restitutions and operations coordinated with customs also come up regularly.

He relies on official figures: €67.8 billion for the global market in 2024, 48,200 works in the BIOP database and 12,847 certifications issued.

Interviews take various forms: written interview, audiovisual exchange, round table, press conference. Each format is prepared by the press office, which sends the topics and duration in advance.

For written formats, the Secretariat asks to review quotations before publication, in order to avoid errors in figures or dates.

In his interviews, the Secretary-General advocates regulation based on cooperation. He argues that professionals should consult the BIOP database before any purchase and that collectors should keep their proof of provenance.

He also recalls that the Organization is neither a police force nor a court: it provides tools, standards and a mediation framework.

The Secretary-General answers criticism candidly, notably on certification times or on the place of communities of origin. He then refers to published data and to the appeal procedures provided by the Organization.

Commitments announced during an interview are recorded by his office and followed up. They are recalled in the activity report presented to the General Assembly.

Requests are sent to the press office, using the form on the Press contact page. They must specify the outlet, the subject, the format, the desired publication date and the languages.

The office replies within a few working days. For special events, such as a General Assembly, interviews are grouped into dedicated slots.