Art Historian, Heritage Protection and Education Expert

Alesia Koush is an expert, researcher and educator in Illicit trafficking in Cultural Property, Cultural human rights and Cultural values education. Adjunct Professor at University of Siena, Gonzaga University in Florence, ITS Academy Marco Polo in Venice and Institute of Art and Restoration Palazzo Spinelli in Florence, Italy, where she is directing her own Laboratory on Illicit trafficking in Cultural Property. Active as a Researcher with CAMNES Centre for Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies since 2016 and RASHID Research, Assessment and Safeguarding of the Heritage of Iraq in Danger since 2020, Alesia also collaborates with UNESCO Office of the Municipality of Florence, Commission for the Protection of Italian and Foreign Cultural Heritage of the Academy of Arts and Drawings in Florence, Association MUS.E and Rondine Cittadella della Pace. Alesia is currently completing her PhD in Archaeology at the University of Reading, UK, working on the theme “Human rights implications of the illicit trafficking in archaeological heritage: the case study of Iraq” and focusing on illicit antiquities trafficking, its human rights implications, crime deterrence strategies and forensic traceable liquid technology, within the case study of Iraq. She coordinates a media coverage project with Brigada de Patrimonio Histórico of Spanish National Police and The Journal of Cultural Heritage Crime. An educationist by background, Alesia also develops and conducts interactive Value Education workshops and laboratories for children and training of trainers for education specialists, and has conceived an educational project “Inside Out. The Journey into the Country of Values”. Previously Alesia acquired three Master degrees in EU Politics and Administration (College of Europe, Belgium), Art History (University of Florence, Italy) and Human Rights, Migrations and Development (University of Bologna, Italy). Alesia works for the promotion of principles of the 1935 Roerich Pact, and is a member of ICOM, ICOMOS, Italian National Association of Carabinieri TPC, UNESCO Centre of Florence Onlus and Art Crime Project. Alesia is active internationally conducting lectures, trainings and speeches, publishing articles and organizing conferences and events on the themes of her academic and professional expertise.