We were also delighted to showcase The Recovered Collection for our visitors last weekend, which is a special art exhibition made possible thanks to the hard work of Italy’s Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, otherwise known as the Carabinieri TPC. 

Why Europol is backing Just Peace Month

As one of the largest EU agencies in The Hague, Europol is a host to citizens from across the EU – as well as dozens of other countries from all corners of the globe. We are part of a community of EU and international agencies in The Hague, working hand-in-glove to deliver the values of rule of law and a more secure society. Open days and visits through the Just Peace Month provide means for agencies like Europol to have dialogue with the public – the people we work in service of – and to introduce some of the remarkable people and capabilities here at the agency.

We’re backing Just Peace Month because it is a chance for transparency, dialogue and learning; key pillars of the EU and our work as law enforcement. The theme for this year’s Just Peace Month is ‘hope in times of adversity’. With multiple crises facing the world right now – many of which will require a law enforcement response and cross-border cooperation – we were pleased to meet and explain our remit to members of the public at this time.

The Recovered Collection

Visitors to Europol’s HQ on the Sunday had the opportunity to visit The Recovered Collection, which is a special art exhibition that is temporarily on display at headquarters. 
The Recovered Collection features artefacts and artworks that tell important stories of Europe’s cultural heritage. It includes rare pottery, handcrafted statues, mirrors, vases and even pieces of armour from the ancient era. Yet unlike a normal art collection, which is curated and donated by museums, art lovers and collectors, The Recovered Collection is somewhat different. All the pieces in the exhibition were recovered from organised criminals by the Italian Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage (TPC). 

These rare and sometimes priceless pieces of history were stolen from legitimate collectors or excavated illegally from historical sites by organised criminals. The Recovered Collection shows some of the seizures from just four of the many operations conducted by the TPC, many of which are supported by Europol. In fact, these four operations alone have recovered tens of millions of euros’ worth of rare historical and modern cultural goods – just one way law enforcement cooperation is working hard to take money out of criminal pockets. It was our pleasure to host these works for the public at our HQ.

Find out more about Europol’s work recovering cultural goods and stolen art on the dedicated page on our website. If you’d like to take part in a future visit to Europol, be sure to follow Europol and The Hague Humanity Hub on social media. Or sign up for the walking tour on 21 October via the Just Peace website.
 

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