In line with the Africa in the Museum project, the African Diaspora Council of Switzerland and partners invite stakeholders to a dialogue with a panel on ‘Looted African Heritage Resources.’
This will be held on the 16th of April 2025, from 14:00 – 16:00 (NY time), as a side event to the 4th Session of the UN Permanent Forum of People of African Descent, UN Headquarters NY.
The Dialogue will be held under the theme: “Reparatory Justice for Africa Through Restitution.”
The proposed panel attracts different stakeholders including People of African descent, business leaders, policymakers, and government officials, academics, civil society and the media. It aims at sharing strategies, experiences, lessons learnt and recommendations towards advancing and speeding action on reparatory justice through restitution.
Moderated by Karen Attiah of the Washington Post the panel members include Angela Naa Afoley Odai, CIDO-AU Commission, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, H.E. Amb. Abubakar Jidda, Consul-General, Consulate General of Nigeria, New York, Ebrima Sall, TrustAfrica, Dakar, Senegal, Dozie Celeste Ugochukwu, AFMD / African Diaspora Council of Switzerland, Kim Poole, Teaching Artist Institute, USA and Rapporteur Myron O. Sotunde-Adesina, International Civil Society Working Group for the UN Permanent Forum for People of African Descent (ICSWG UNPFPAD) Youth Sub-Committee – Regional Lead Italy.
Hosted by the African Diaspora Council of Switzerland, in partnership with African Foundation for Migration and Development, Trust Africa, Bard CCE, Nigeria Business Forum in Switzerland, Afrika Vision, Organization of Monarchies and Leaders of Africa, and MICIC / AME, the event will be held at the Blue Gallery, The Blue Building , 222 East 46th Street, New York, NY 10017.
The language of the event is English. Entry is free and open to all with limited number of places, therefore registration is obligatory. Refreshment will be served at the end of the panel.
To participate, please send an email to the Lead Facilitator Dozie Celeste Ugochukwu on contact@africancouncil.ch with the following details:
– First and Surnames.
– Name of organisation / institution.
– Country and province (state) of residence.
– WhatsApp number and E-mail.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
“Africa in Museum” is a Dialogue series on African heritage resources initiated in November 2021 as part of activities of the 1st Decade of People of African Descent in Switzerland. The project with moral support of the Open Society aims at mobilizing members of the African Diaspora as well as major stakeholders to visit museums and learn first-hand of the presence and provenance of African heritage resources in foreign museums and contribute positively to the dialogue on Restitution. Participants learn more about the importance and spiritual significance of African artifacts and the role of restitution in the process of Decolonization and Reparatory justice.
It serves also as a forum for museums to inform on their various initiatives of research on provenance and dialogue with African countries on restitution. Through this dialogue, foreign governments are already engaging with Nigeria, Namibia, South Africa, Cameroun among others, on restitution process. This side event is in line with “Reparatory Justice for Africa and People of African Descent” of the UN and the AU theme of the Year, and of Africa Day 2025, “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations”.
AIM AND OBJECTIVES
The aim of the side event is to bring together different stakeholders with similar and different perspectives on a round table discussion. The panelists will discuss their activities in different countries, opportunities, challenges, impacts, and lessons learnt. Thus, the stakeholders and participants will expand their scope and horizons, learn from each other in their different modus operandi thereby enriching and enhancing their operations and strengthening their networking.
This Side Event invites stakeholders from the African Diaspora and People of African Descent, business leaders, policymakers, and government officials, academics, media, museum from Africa and different countries like Switzerland, New York-USA, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Belgium, Senegal and Nigeria. About 100 participants are expected to attend.
EXPECTED OUTCOME AND RECOMMENDATIONS
– Stakeholders and participants are well informed of the dialogue on reparatory justice through restitution of African artifacts. Exchange of good practices amongst stakeholders.
– Restitution and reparation processes in different countries are enhanced, way forward proposed
– Networking among stakeholders and participants is strengthened
– The integrated learnings, outcomes and recommendations of the side event are published.
Source: African Diaspora Council of Switzerland
Edited by: Theresa R. Fianko.