#Restitutions. Une autre définition du monde

On June 7, 1978, Amadou-Mahtar Mbow—the first African Director-General of UNESCO—issued a “solemn appeal” to governments, cultural institutions, museums, libraries, historians and artists worldwide, calling for the restitution of cultural property to its countries of origin. Nearly fifty years after this landmark appeal, where do we stand today on the question of return?

Moderated by journalist Valérie Nivelon, the series Restitutions. Another Definition of the World offers a space for reflection and dialogue on the restitution of works of art and cultural property acquired in contexts of violence and domination, and on the issues of memory, justice and the circulation of heritage that they raise. From April 2026 to spring 2027, the Fondation Maison des Sciences de l’Homme (FMSH) will host seven discussions addressing a complex reality at the crossroads of history, law, diplomacy and ethics.

By bringing together researchers, legal scholars, collection managers, archivists and cultural and institutional actors, the series aims to provide critical insights and to contribute to fairer, more collaborative and more sustainable practices.

Co-designer of the series, Valérie Nivelon is the creator of the podcast Africaines Queens and the radio programme La marche du monde on RFI.

14.04.26 | #Restitutions: Rethinking Museums

How can we address the ethical, philosophical and heritage-related issues surrounding restitution while highlighting the need for collective reflection on the conditions of a fairer sharing of world heritage?
A discussion with Souleymane Bachir Diagne, Director of the Institute of African Studies and Professor of Philosophy at Columbia University, and Marie-Cécile Zinsou, art historian and Director of the Zinsou Foundation. → Register

16.06.26 | #Restitutions: Legislating to Repair

The framework laws governing the restitution of African cultural property play a crucial role in the process of reparation following colonisation. But is their actual impact sufficient?
A discussion with Rima Abdul Malak, former French Minister of Culture and initiator of the 2023 legislative proposals on African cultural property, human remains, and cultural goods looted in the context of antisemitic persecutions between 1933 and 1945, and Vincent Négri, senior researcher (HDR) at the Institute of Social Sciences of Politics. → Register

15.09.26 | #Restitutions: Rethinking Archives

In 1966, the World Festival of Black Arts marked a powerful moment of cultural and political reaffirmation. Sixty years later, what does it mean to “restitute” archives? A discussion with Sarah Frioux Salgas, archivist at the Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, and Mamadou Diouf, historian of ideas at Columbia University.

17.11.26 | #Restitutions: Rethinking Objects of Art

How does a ritual, political or social object become a “work of art”? The fourth session of the #Restitutions series will examine the transformations of meaning imposed by Western museums on objects originating from former colonies. Between the deconstruction of colonial legacies and dialogue with communities of origin, this multidisciplinary discussion will explore what constitutes heritage today.