Open Society Pledges Support for African Cultural Heritage Restitution

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Open Society Pledges Support for African Cultural Heritage Restitution

IPNews-Dakar: The Open Society Foundations has announced a 15 million United States dollars initiative to strengthen efforts to restore cultural objects looted from the African continent.

According to a release from OSIWA headquarters in Dakar, Senegal, states that over the next four years, the initiative will support networks and organizations working to return Africa’ heritage to its rightful home.

“ The legacy of Colonial violence has deep implications for the ways that racism and imbalances of power are perpetuated today. This isn’t just about returning pieces of art, but about restoring the very essence of those cultures”

“We are proud to support this movement towards reconciling historical wrongs, as part of our mission to advance this justice.” Patrick Gaspard, President of the Open Society said.

For decades, Africans have advocated for the return of those heritage, including not only Art and ceremonial objects, but also human remains, natural historical specimens, archives, and entangle cultural heritage like sound recordings and photographs. Entire collections have been made from materials looted during military raids and atrocities at Maqdala and in Nambia and Nigeria, among many others.

“With so much Africa’s neocolonial legacy housed in European Museums, these artifacts are out of reach for millions on the Africans continent, who have a right to their own knowledge and cultural production,”

Restitution is not only about rightsizing the past, but about access to one’s own heritage and a necessity to maintain this connection for future generations.” Rasida Bumbray, Director of Culture and Art at Open Society said.

Additionally, the Open Society, will support ongoing research and initiative addressing the restitution of African cultural heritage, including the recommendations of ground-breaking report published last gear by Felwine Sarr, the Economist and Chair of the Open Society for West Africa, and Art historian Be’ne’dide Savoy, The report calls for full restitution of works in French Museum collections that were plundered from former African Colonies.

Partnering with Museum, governments, artists, academics, and civil society , the initiative will include colleagues from across the Open Society Foundations, led by Bumbray, Anothny Richter , Director of special initiatives, and Ayisha Osori, Director of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa.

Grant-making will put Africans needs  and priorities at the forefront and many include support for grassroots organizations, Coalitions building litigations public monitoring , and expert convening with African scholar, cultural and creative figures, spiritual leaders, policy officials, and others.

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