Details

Conference organized by the UNESCO Chair in International Law of the Protection of Cultural Heritage, Art-Law Centre, University of Geneva, and the Department of Public International Law and International Organization, University of Geneva, in partnership with the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Senegal to the United Nations Oce and other international organizations in Geneva, the Global Studies Institute, University of Geneva, the African Union, and the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT).

Thursday 23 September 2021

INAUGURAL LECTURE

Welcome: Prof. Nicolas Levrat, Director, Global Studies Institute (GSI)

Opening Speech: Prof. Yves Flückiger, Rector of the University of Geneva

Introduction: Gorgui Wade Ndoye, United Nations accredited Journalist, Director of the Pan-African Magazine Continent Premier

Lecture: Prof. Souleymane Bachir Diagne, Director, Institute of African Studies; Professor of French and of Philosophy, Columbia University, Les objets d’art africains et leurs traductions (online presentation)

Discussant: Prof. Didier Péclard, Director of the Master in African Studies, Global Studies Institute (GSI)

Friday 23 September 2021

PANEL I - CHALLENGES TO THE RETURN OF CULTURAL OBJECTS

Chair: Prof. Marc-André Renold, University of Geneva, UNESCO Chair

H.E. Namira Negm, Legal Counsel and Director of the Office of Legal Affairs, African Union, The African Union: policy and action for the return of cultural objects

George Abungu, Consultant and Fellow of the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Studies, The unfinished agenda of decolonization in relation to the return of cultural objects removed during colonialism: policy and practice of African states – online presentation

Marina Schneider, Principal Legal Officer & Treaty Depositary, UNIDROIT, The 1995 UNIDROIT Convention and colonial heritage – online presentation

Dr. Alessandro Chechi, University of Geneva, The return of colonial objects and international law

PANEL II - A PANORAMA OF PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS

Chair: H.E. Kadra Ahmed Hassan, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Djibouti to the United Nations Oice and other international organizations in Geneva

Irina Bokova, Former Director-General of UNESCO (2009 – 2017), Cultural diplomacy and the decolonization of collections

Robert Peters, Senior Officer, German Federal Foreign Office, Dealing with collections from colonial contexts: recent developments in Germany

Verhoogt Robert and Boer Maurice, Senior policy officers, Dutch Ministry of Culture, Redressing an injustice. Dutch policy on collections from a colonial context

Carlo Sommaruga, Council of States, Swiss Parliament, Le retour des biens coloniaux: Quel rôle pour la Suisse ?

Prof. Clémentine Bories, University of Toulouse 1 Capitole, Le retour des biens culturels coloniaux à l’Afrique : l’approche de la France

Prof. Carsten Stahn, University of Leiden, The return of cultural objets: legal and ethical dimensions in museum practices

Boris Wastiau, Director, and Floriane Morin, Curator of the African Department, Ethnographic Museum of Geneva (MEG), Les biens culturels africains conservés au MEG : enjeux et défis

Prof. Marc-André Renold, Establishing a platform for the diplomacy of cultural heritage at the University of Geneva

DISCUSSION

CONCLUSIONS

Prof. Makane Moïse Mbengue, University of Geneva, An action plan for African States

Link:Conference website