Motion #E12

Restitution and repatriation of cultural objects

Synopsis

This motion proposes an addition to party policy (PfSS) on the restitution and repatriation of cultural objects accumulated during colonialism, and proposes adding the brief for heritage and tourism issues to the Party spokesperson on Culture, Media and Sport.

Motion

1. Changes to PfSS

a. Retitle the ‘Tourism’ section of PfSS as ‘Heritage & Tourism’

b. Policy Development Committee to change the initialisation of policies in this section from TM to HT

c. Insert a new sub-section headed ‘Heritage’, and below this a further subheading ‘Restitution and Repatriation of Cultural Objects’

d. Insert below this subheading with temporary numbering HT110-HT115

HT110: The Green Party recognises that during the period of imperial expansion and colonialism, and in other conflicts and periods, objects, whether artefacts or human remains of cultural significance were appropriated and added to the collections of museums, and to private collections in the UK. Restitution involves the return of these objects to their original owners or communities or their successors. Repatriation involves the return of cultural objects to a nation or state that is a successor to the original owners at the request of the government. The Green Party recognises that not only are there issues about the legal ownership of these cultural objects, but also moral arguments in favour of restitution and repatriation.

HT111: The Green Party recognises that the Museum association Code of Ethics and Conduct touches on the issue and that some institutions (eg the Universities of Oxford and Aberdeen) have established procedures for considering the return of cultural objects

HT112: We will establish a panel of experts, the ‘Restitution of Cultural Objects Panel’, modelled on the Spoliation Advisory Panel established to consider claims relating to cultural objects appropriated by the Nazis and their collaborators between 1933 and 1945, but with the requirement that beside the consideration of legal grounds for restitution, moral grounds are also taken into consideration as a determining factor in their decisions. We recognise that each case will have to be considered on its merits and that this will involve discussion with the holding institution or collection. The panel will make recommendations to the relevant government minister with whom the final decision will rest.

HT113: We will amend The British Museum Act 1963 to require the trustees to de-accession cultural objects and restore them to original owners or their successors when so determined by the Restitution of Cultural Objects Panel and agreed by the minister recognising that the moral grounds for the return have been taken into consideration by the panel, and do not require further consideration by the Trustees.

HT114: We will require other institutions that derive all or part of their funding from public sources to respect and honour the decisions of the Panel and minister.

HT115: We will encourage private collections and collectors to respect and honour the decisions of the Panel and the minister.

1. Spokesperson: GPEx to add the brief for responding to issues related to heritage and tourism to the brief of the Party Spokesperson on Culture, Media and Sport, and to allocate that brief as appropriate in future.