- The demands for repair and historical justice have taken root in America, Africa and other European countries, but they still have few repercussions in Spain;
- Since 2019, a resolution of the European Parliament urges member states to take specific measures such as heritage restitution or improved access to colonial archives, among others;
- The aim of this international seminar is to gather and discuss specific proposals and projects on reparation measures that are currently underway, specially in the United States, The Netherlands and Spain.
Pictures: A ceramist in Axdir, Rif (1954). Photo report of the second expedition to Morroco carried out by August Panyella and Eudald Serra | Photography: J. Lacalle
Backrgound
Debates about the legacies of colonialism and slavery processes that have shaken perspectives of public space, museums and society itself over the past decade are leading towards demands for repair. Demands that take shape through the recognition of the damage, heritage restitution, compensation and through a social debate about inequalities and racism in our society. The complexity of these demands materialising is evident, but the challenge must be taken on by the institutional, academic and social spheres, especially in the Spanish State.
The demands for repair and historical justice have taken root in America, Africa and other European countries, but they still have few repercussions in our context —not even after the 2019 resolution of the European Parliament, which urged member states to take specific measures such as heritage restitution or improved access to colonial archives, among others. In line with the last seminars promoted by the Councillor for Democratic Memory of the Barcelona City Council, the Museum of Ethnology and World Cultures, and the European Observatory on Memories led by the UB Solidarity Foundation, the aim of the present seminars is to gather and discuss specific proposals and projects that are underway, such as the report on the Moroccan heritage of the Museum of World Cultures developed by the Quotidian Life Observatory or the Trans-Atlantic Redress Network initiative on reparatory measures in the US, Holland and Spain. The results of these projects will be presented during the seminars, with a view to tackling how they should be managed and their potential outcomes.
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Programme
Simulteneous interpretation will be available | Room capacity: 60 attendees | Please register here to attend
Thursday 27th October
16:00h Welcome session
- Carles Vicente, director of the Museum of Ethnology and World Cultures
- Jordi Guixé, director of the European Observatory on Memories (EUROM)
16:30-17:30h Opening conference
“Colonial collections and restitution – Progress or stagnation?” by Jos van Beurden (Free Amsterdam University and author of the book “Treasures in Trusted Hands: Negotiating the future of colonial cultural objects” [2017])
SESSION 1. DECOLONIALISING HERITAGE: MUSEUMS AND COLLECTIONS UNDER SCRUTINY
18:00-18:45h: Presentation of the report on the Moroccan collections in the Museum of World Cultures by the Quotidian Life Observatory (Alberto López Bargados and Sarai Martín López) with the participation of journalist Ali Lmrabet
18:45-20:00h: Round table “Perspectives on the decolonization of heritage”. Chair: Laida Memba (Guinea Heritage 2020)
- Andrés Antebi (Quotidian Life Observatory)
- María Iñigo (Open University of Catalonia)
- Marta Marin (director of the Born Culture and Memorial Centre)
Friday 28th October
12:00h: Guided visit to the Museum of Ethnology and World Cultures
SESSION 2: COMPARED PERSPECTIVES ON HISTORICAL JUSTICE: TOOLS FOR THE REPAIR AND EDUCATION OF COLONIALISM
17:00-18:30h: Presentation of the Trans-Atlantic Redress-Network initiative in the United States, Holland and Spain. Chair: Oriol Lopez (EUROM)
- Linda Mann (Columbia University – online)
- Celeste Muñoz (UNED-EUROM)
- Jesse Breet (Amsterdam University-NIOD Institute)
18:30-19:15h Closing speech “Racism as a colonial legacy and antiracism as a decolonial necessity” presented by Salma Amazian (University of Granada – anthropologist)
