Diplomatic World_69

SALLY ALASSANE THIAM
PRESIDENT, AFRIQUE PATRIMOINE
The Restitution of African Cultural Heritage
2022 Crans Montana Forum
It is with great pleasure that I find myself in this august assembly
the relations between Africa and the West. If Africa must come
with you here in Brussels to enlighten you on the state of African
out of its “victim” position, as its critics often accuse it, to freely
cultural heritage. I am also pleased to bring here the voice of
write a new chapter in its history, the time has come for Western
African youth, but also that of my home country Senegal.
countries to look to the world in the face and in a new way. Accepting
your mistakes allows those who have suffered the most
I like to repeat during my lectures that the precondition for politi-
from them to overcome the pain. But for this, the countries of the
cal and economic independence first passes through cultural in-
North have to examine their conscience. The world is no longer
dependence. It is up to us to build the new relationship between
that of the end of the World War II. The 20th century is behind us!
Africa and the West. My generation today thinks that a strong
cultural policy, a cultural policy that finds its full meaning and its
Exchanging, researching, participating in the emulsion of ideas,
full place in a society, can make it possible to generate jobs, can
to build a better world together, is, at my humble level, one of the
contribute to a country’s economy, and above all contribute in
missions that I have given myself. Because the hour of the cul-
many ways to the development of the African continent.
tural renaissance of Africa has come, I would like to share here
at the Crans Montana Forum that my book will be released at the
What I want to demonstrate in my speech is that today’s African
end of July by “Michel Lafon” editions, the title being “The rebirth
youth, as a whole, is in the process of thinking strategically about
of African heritage”.
reclaiming their dignity, in particular by taking back control of the
destiny of their inheritance. And I often ask myself this question:
Between 90 and 95 percent of our heritage is outside the conti-
“if Europe has been constantly repeating since the Faro Conven-
nent, scattered in major museums and private collections. Three
tion in 2005 (The Council of Europe Framework Convention on
major periods have marked the history of the looting of African
the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society) that European youth
art. Before the Berlin conference (1884-1885), there were a little
must have access to its heritage, why is it depriving African youth
less than a thousand illegally exported items in the world. In the
of theirs? Youth represents 75 percent of the African population,
case of France, between 1885 and 1960, we reached a peak of
which stands at 1.4 billion”.
45,000 stolen objects, i.e. 66 percent of African heritage held.
The rest would have disappeared between 1960 and today.
This collective effort requires transversal work that is essential for
In history, this march towards the restitution of African cultural
the European states concerned by this issue. As such, we have
our sovereignty. It will only be possible through the awakening of
The Sarr-Savoy report also makes a precise census of the
heritage has gone hand-in-hand with the recognition by the
also created the link with Belgium.
consciences. Indeed, human, heritage and environment are often
dispersion of looted works through museums in France. At least
former colonial powers of the harm inflicted on the colonized
linked. It was therefore important for me to offer a more optimis-
90,000 works of art from sub-Saharan Africa are part of French
countries. Obviously, the organized looting of African heritage is
I personally, in my capacity as President of Afrique Patrimoine,
tic and realistic vision of Africa, in order to make my modest con-
public collections, including 70,000 in the Quai Branly Museum
not a French speciality. Far from it, the Royal Museum for Central
wrote a letter addressed to Alexander De Croo, Prime Minister
tribution to the meeting of “giving and receiving”, as President
in Paris and 20,000 in other museums in France.
Africa here in Belgium holds 180,000 works of art. Belgium, a
of the Kingdom of Belgium. He politely redirected me to Thom-
Léopold Sédar Senghor used to say. At the beginning of the 21st
small country in terms of area, beats all records in terms of the
as Dermine’s office. During a meeting in Brussels in September
century, so uncertain, so anxiety-provoking in particular because
In this sad world ranking of looted works, Chad comes first with
number of lootings!
2021, his advisers congratulated me on this initiative while
of new threats, in particular the global warming, I also see a huge
9,296 stolen objects, followed by Cameroon (7,838), then
specifying, to my great surprise, that they had never received an
opportunity for my continent to build another world.
Madagascar (7,590), Mali (6,910), Ivory Coast (3,951),
Belgian State Secretary for Science Policy Thomas Dermine did
official request for restitution from the Democratic Republic of
Benin (3,157), the Republic of Congo (2,593), Gabon (2,448),
not hesitate to make promises, and I quote: “I think the time
Congo.
It is time to find our own narrative! The African narrative. At the
Senegal (2,281) and finally Guinea (1,997).
has come for the restitution of objects looted from the Congo.
time of the memorial battle, in a process of universalism, it is time
Objects illegitimately acquired by our ancestors do not belong to
In England, there are therefore precisely 69,000 objects from
to teach European and African youth History with a capital H.
But to better understand the impact of this injustice, it is impor-
us. They are not ours. They belong to the Congolese people”, he
Africa in the British Museum. In Austria, 37,000 have been
This difficult transition, made up of questioning, unwanted truth,
tant to always return to the figures mentioned above on the real
said during a press conference held at the Belgian Embassy in
recorded at the Weltmuseum in Vienna. In Germany, 75,000 of
sometimes clashes, is necessary if we want to finally change
weight of this gigantic, organized looting, unique in history.
Kinshasa. Afrique Patrimoine has taken the initiative to contact all
them are said to be at the Humboldt Forum in Berlin. Finally,
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