The challenge of cultural heritage?! Restitution – and now what?
Past event
Wednesday, 10. July 2024, 18:15
Neue Universität, Aula, Grabengasse 3-5, 69117 Heidelberg
Prof. Dr. Bénédicte Savoy, TU Berlin, Institut für Kunstwissenschaft und Historische Urbanistik
Since 2017, many European countries seem to have discussed everything important about the restitution of cultural property that was brought to Europe from colonial contexts during the 19th and 20th centuries. A turning point was the handover of the royal treasures of Abomey to the Republic of Benin in 2021. Their return heralded a new geopolitical era in dealing with African heritage. Such restitutions illustrate that the physical return of culturally and historically valuable goods can bring about the “tectonic shifts” described in the 2018 Sarr-Savoy Report. In her lecture, the speaker will explore why the issue of restitution continues to be raised despite the successes already achieved by some African states, which have paved the way for cultural justice.
Address Type
Neue Universität Series of events
Aula Talk
Grabengasse 3-5
69117 Heidelberg
Flyer
Tabelle
All Dates of the Event 'Herausforderung Kulturerbe?!'
Engaging with cultural heritage (of humanity) is contemporary and socially relevant when bridges are built between the past, present, and future, and cultural heritage is understood as a dynamic concept. It acts as a transformative resource when it is used as an integral part of the examination of discourses on identity and power politics. Cultural heritage often proves to be controversial and part of larger social controversies.
In this series of events, the Flagship Initiative Transforming Cultural Heritage and the Heidelberg Center Cultural Heritage at Heidelberg University explore current issues relating to cultural heritage. Based on transformative, innovative research, the series takes up current and controversial, but socially relevant topics and discusses them with renowned speakers.
