The ENIGMA Project to Convene Its Next Consortium Meeting in Palma de Mallorca

The illicit trafficking of cultural goods continues to significantly threaten global historical and artistic heritage. These items, ranging from archaeological antiquities to works of art, represent an irreplaceable cultural loss for their countries of origin and highlight the increasing sophistication of smuggling networks.

Mallorca is not immune to such criminal activities, as evidenced by the discovery of numerous invaluable objects illicitly removed at Palma’s Son Sant Joan Airport in November.

Competent authorities must intensify their efforts and collaborate with experts and international units, implementing stringent measures to combat these crimes, underscoring the importance of protecting and preserving humanity’s cultural legacy.

In this context, the existence of a European Commission-funded project like ENIGMA underscores the European Union’s commitment to safeguarding the provenance of objects and artefacts and the necessity of developing tools to assist in their identification and origin determination.

On May 15 and 16, Palma de Mallorca hosted the general meeting of the ENIGMA European project consortium. The event took place at the AC Ciutat de Palma Hotel and was organized by AnySolution, a Palma-based company and the project’s sole Spanish partner.

The meeting brought together all consortium members, comprising 12 entities from seven countries, including universities, technology companies, museums, and organizations specializing in cultural heritage protection. During the sessions, advancements since the project’s inception in 2023 were presented, and forthcoming work stages were planned.

As part of the meeting, a roundtable was held on May 15, featuring experts such as Ms. Eleanor Fink, an international cultural heritage expert and former director of the Getty Center in Los Angeles; Mr. Frank Von Hagel, Research Assistant at the Institute for Museum Association and Board Member of CIDOC; Dr. David Javaloyas, archaeologist at the Sa Morisca site in Calvià; Dr. Jaime Almansa, archaeologist at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC); Ms. Verica Trbic, expert advisor at INTERPOL; and Mr. Serge Lemaitre, curator of the American collection at the Museum of Art and History in Brussels.

The discussions focused on the tools and actions necessary to safeguard and preserve cultural heritage. This meeting served as a pivotal opportunity to strengthen collaboration among partners and advance towards ENIGMA’s objective: to create comprehensive and sustainable solutions that protect European cultural heritage from both human and natural threats.