#Restitutions: Museums in question

Faced with growing questions about the origin and ownership of works of art and cultural property, Souleymane Bachir Diagne, Director of the Institute for African Studies and Professor of Philosophy at Columbia University, and Marie-Cécile Zinsou, art historian and President of the Zinsou Foundation, will discuss how to reconcile historical justice, the circulation of knowledge and the preservation of museum collections.

While many cultural institutions defend the idea of a universal heritage, accessible to all and guaranteeing the dissemination of knowledge, this universalist vision may today clash with the demands for recognition of colonial suffering, shared memory and cultural sovereignty of the peoples concerned.

The discussion will highlight the importance of dialogue between cultures as a possible path to reconciliation between these sometimes contradictory principles. It will address the ethical, philosophical and heritage issues of restitution, while emphasising the need for collective reflection on the conditions for the equitable sharing of world heritage.

During this inaugural session, speakers will question the role and evolution of museums as spaces of memory, heritage justice and intercultural encounter. The discussion will invite us to rethink the mission of museums in a more open, inclusive world that is more aware of its shared history.

The talk will be moderated by the journalist Valérie Nivelon (RFI).

#Restitutions. Another definition of the world

A series of talks conceived in collaboration with Valérie Nivelon (initiator of the Africaines Queens podcast and the La Marche du monde radio show on RFI), who will moderate the discussions.

On 7 June 1978, Amadou Mahtar Mbow — the first African Director-General of UNESCO — issued a “solemn appeal” to governments, cultural institutions, museums, libraries, historians, and artists, calling for the return of cultural property to its country of origin. Nearly fifty years after this seminal appeal, what is the current state of the debate on restitution?

The series "Restitutions. Another Definition of the World" offers a platform for reflection and dialogue on the challenges surrounding the restitution of works of art and cultural property acquired in contexts of violence and domination. It also addresses the related issues of memory, justice, and the circulation of heritage that these processes raise. Between April 2026 and the end of 2027, FMSH will organise six discussions exploring this complex reality at the intersection of history, law, diplomacy, and ethics.

By bringing together researchers, lawyers, collection managers, archivists, and cultural and institutional stakeholders, the series seeks to shed light on these issues and to encourage fairer, more collaborative, and more sustainable restitution practices.