Replay | #Restitutions: Museums Under Question

The first event, entitled “#Restitutions: Museums Under Question”, brought together journalist Valérie Nivelon, philosopher Souleymane Bachir Diagne, Director of the Institute of African Studies and Professor at Columbia University, and art historian Marie-Cécile Zinsou, President of the Zinsou Foundation.

Together, they explored how museums can respond to calls for the restitution of works of art and cultural property acquired in contexts of violence and domination. Their discussions highlighted the challenges posed by such restitutions, balancing historical justice, the circulation of knowledge and the future of museum collections.

#Restitutions. Another Definition of the World

A series of talks co-designed and moderated by Valérie Nivelon (creator of the podcast Africaines Queens and the radio program La Marche du monde on RFI).

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

The series #Restitutions. Another Definition of the World offers a space for reflection and dialogue on the restitution of artworks and cultural property acquired in contexts of violence and domination, as well as on the issues of memory, justice, and the circulation of heritage that these claims raise. Through seven conversations bringing together researchers, legal scholars, museum professionals, and cultural practitioners, the series seeks to provide analytical tools and contribute to more just, collaborative, and sustainable practices.

→ Learn more