New $15 million initiative launched to expedite return of looted African art by RFI published on 2020-01-17T13:44:45Z In Benin, the Lobozounpka Arts and Culture Center outside of Cotonou, the capital, has received on Friday a collection of royal scepters, sabres and objects. These pieces are a gift from antique dealers in the Parisian region, who are giving them back to their country of origin. While this is a positive measure in terms of African art returning to the continent, it is a unique gesture. There are thousands of works of African art in Europe, either in museums or private collections that should be returned to the African continent. The Open Society Foundations has launched a 13.5 million euro initiative to work with African governments, individuals and civil society organizations to get the art back. It coincides with the first anniversary of the “Sarr-Savoy report’, commissioned by French President Emmanuel Macron, which called for the immediate, unconditional return of African objects gained through theft, looting, despoilment, trickery, and forced consent, prior to 1960. RFI's Laura Angela Bagnetto spoke to Rashida Bumbray, the director of Culture and Art at the Open Society Foundations to find out about this new art restitution initiative: Genre News & Politics