Centre for Global Heritage and Development

08/02/2024

Join our workshop in March on and , developed by Liselore Tissen MA and John Walker , to delve into XR's multifaceted ethical and technological aspects.

Participants will not only engage with the story of the Mixtec skull but will also have hands-on experiences with various types of cultural heritage through VR, ensuring a comprehensive and immersive exploration of the topic.

Responsible Extended Reality (XR) Workshop Extended Reality (XR) encompasses augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality, and is reshaping how users, scholars, and cultural heritage institutions engage with the world and interpret objects.  One notable application is the Mixtec

25/04/2023

On 24 May the Netherlands Sri Lanka Foundation, in collaboration with the Centre for Global Heritage and Development, and with the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Sri Lanka, is hosting the web seminar "To give or not to give it back to Sri Lanka?".

The speakers will be Professor Naazima Kamardeen, Chair Professor in Commercial Law in the Faculty of Law, University of Colombo, and Dr. Evelien Campfens, expert in (international) cultural heritage law and post-doc fellow at the Museums Collections and Society programme of Leiden University.

Here is the synopsis of her talk:
Fifty years after the UN General Assembly urged the return of colonial cultural takings to victims of expropriation, the debate has clearly entered a new phase. Return ceremonies in the same museums that, twenty years ago, undersigned the Declaration on the Value and Importance of Universal Museums – in which major museums justified their continued possession of looted artefacts –, are a testament that times have changed. However, these returns are generally presented as voluntary gestures, not based on the law. Whether such an ‘ethical model’ – whereby claims are settled by ad-hoc agreements and on a voluntary basis – is sustainable in the long run is questionable. Sooner or later standards will need to be set: Which objects, for example, are considered "colonial loot" and eligible for return? And what parties should be seen as ‘right holders’ in that regard, national governments or communities the objects were taken from? This contribution will highlight the role of human rights for such questions. Having at its centre the right of access to one's culture, in such an approach also cooperative provenance research is key.

Date: Wednesday 24 May 2023, online Zoom meeting
Dutch time (CET): 12.30-14.30
Sri Lanka time (IST): 16.00-18.00

To enrol please fill out this form:

24/04/2023

Wow! Do we have our own Yuval Noah Harari at our Faculty?

Archaeologist Maikel Kuijpers signs international book contract with Penguin Press for book on the eight fundamental materials that make the modern world possible: concrete, wood, steel, plastics, bricks, fertilizer, soil, and glass. ‘Through material histories, I’m writing human history.'

Read the whole story: https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2023/04/archaeologist-maikel-kuijpers-signs-international-book-contract-with-penguin-press

23/04/2023

Starting in autumn 2023 for the first time: an exciting new joint LDE Minor! Do you love art? Are you interested in modern techniques to discover the secrets of Old Masters? Are you thinking about a career in conservation, art research, or museology?

20/04/2023

Het zichtbaar maken van ongeschreven verhalen van inheemse culturen en volken van de Cariben. Dat doet de tentoonstelling ‘Caribbean Ties’ in de Oude UB.

16/04/2023

In deze aflevering van gastgesprekken gaat archeoloog Wouter Post in gesprek met professor archeologie van het Midden Oosten over de archeologie en het werk ...

13/04/2023

📣 Applications are now open for the World Heritage Site Managers Forum !

UNESCO World Heritage site managers and persons working within World Heritage site management systems from across the globe are invited to participate in this year’s Forum, aimed at continuing to empower World Heritage site managers on the international stage.

Organized by وزارة الثقافة Ministry of Culture, represented by the National Committee and the Heritage Commission alongside the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, and , in close partnership with International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)

Apply now http://bit.ly/3o9bUMX

13/04/2023

Congratulations to archaeologist Maikel Kuijpers on signing an international book contract with Penguin Press!

This is a remarkable achievement and a true reflection of Maikel's hard work and dedication to the field of archaeology. It's always inspiring to see researchers taking their expertise beyond academia and sharing it with a wider audience. Maikel's book will undoubtedly provide fresh perspectives on significant archaeological discoveries, enlighten readers, and encourage them to explore the past in new ways.

We are eagerly looking forward to reading it!

https://lnkd.in/g_ixeaPF

Back in 2020, Dr Maikel Kuijpers started to write for The Correspondent. His articles offered readers a unique long-term insight into the materials that shape our world, from concrete to glass and plastics. His innovative approach piqued the interest of a literary agent, and he was invited to write&...

11/04/2023

11/04/2023

Coming up next Wedneday!

Contested WW2 Heritage in The Hague
Wednesday 19 April 2023 - 16:00 - 18:00
Location: Nationaal Monument Oranjehotel

What to do with Contested Heritage? During this meeting (in Dutch), we will discuss how we can deal with some of the uncomfortable heritage from WW2 now and in the future.

What to do with Contested Heritage? During this meeting (in Dutch), we will discuss how we can deal with some of the uncomfortable heritage from WW2 now and in the future. More information on the poster below.  

07/04/2023

Meet dr. Evelien Campfens, a cultural heritage law specialist and post-doc fellow at the Research Group ‘Museums, Collections and Society’ of Leiden University. She is involved in a variety of projects and organisations, such as her current research project on cultural heritage protection in Ukr...

06/04/2023

📣 Save the date!

The Interdisciplinary Research Group Museums, Collections and Society (MCS) at Leiden University, in collaboration with the Centre for Global Heritage and Development, will host a conference on 5-6 July 2023 about four topics that are at the core of the group’s research activities.

Topics covered include: The Changing Roles of Modern Art Museums, Protection of Cultural Heritage in Ukraine, Provenance Research and the Digital, and Collecting in the 21st Century.

Attendance is free of charge.

Stay tuned for registration information in mid-May!

The moderators for the conference sessions are:
- Laurie Kalb-Cosmo (for the session on The Changing Roles of Modern Art Museums)
- Evelien Campfens (for the session on Protection of Cultural Heritage in Ukraine)
- Martin Berger (for the sessions on Provenance Research and the Digital, and Collecting in the 21st Century)
- Pieter ter Keurs (for the session on Collecting in the 21st Century)

The Interdisciplinary Research Group Museums, Collections and Society (MCS) is organizing a conference on 5-6 July 2023, in collaboration with the LDE Centre for Global Heritage and Development. The conference sessions will cover topics such as the changing roles of modern art museums, the protec

04/04/2023

📢Exciting news!

🎉We are thrilled to announce the latest members of the Climate Heritage Network, a global network of over 300 member organisations working together to achieve a resilient future in the face of through the lens of arts, culture and heritage. As a founding/sustaining member and CHN Secretariat, ICOMOS is proud to support the by promoting culture-based climate action and tools to implement culture into international climate policy.

🤝By connecting cultural voices and partners accros sectors, we can shape a better future for our planet!

📰Learn more about new members and the 2022-2024 Action Plan here: https://buff.ly/3JTlr1O

04/04/2023

Leiden University is currently seeking an Assistant Professor (UD) in Archaeological Heritage Management.

If you have a passion for preserving and managing cultural heritage, then this opportunity might be perfect for you. As an Assistant Professor, you will have the chance to contribute to research, teaching, and outreach activities in this field.

Apply now and join a team of experts dedicated to exploring and preserving our cultural past.

https://lnkd.in/eqMnfw6u

The Department of Archaeological Heritage & Society of the Faculty of Archaeology is looking for anAssistant Professor (‘UD’) Archaeological Heritage ManagementProfileWe seek an enthusiastic Assistant Professor (0,8 fte)to reinforce the Faculty’s specialization in Archaeological Heritage Manag...

03/04/2023

We would like to highlight a recent study titled "Protecting cultural heritage from armed conflicts in and beyond," which examines how cultural heritage can be better protected from the effects of armed conflicts.

The study analyzes the applicable international law and policy frameworks, as well as the practices of key international actors in Ukraine and past conflicts. It concludes with specific recommendations to the EU and its Member States to strengthen the protection of cultural heritage from the effects of armed conflicts, now and in the future. This study is an essential contribution to cultural heritage protection and provides valuable insights on how to prevent the destruction of during armed conflicts.

We want to extend our appreciation to the authors Evelien Campfens, Andrzej Jakubowski, Kristin Hausler, and Elke Selter for their contribution, as well as the additional contributions of Kateryna Busol, Elmira Ablyalimova-CHYIHOZ, Dmytro Koval, and Denys Yashnyi.

https://lnkd.in/duDAGkM8

Research for CULT Committee - Protecting cultural heritage from armed conflicts in Ukraine and beyond

30/03/2023

On 24th May, the Centre for Global Heritage and Development, in collaboration with the Netherlands-Sri Lanka Foundation, will host the free web seminar "To give or not to give it back to Sri Lanka? Considerations, Concerns and Actions regarding artefacts of the colonial period".

The seminar will feature contributions from Dr Evelien Campfens and Professor Naazima Kamardeen.

Today we would like to introduce Professor Naazima Kamardeen's talk "Stuck in the pipeline: The complicated process of restitution of colonial cultural property from Netherlands to Sri Lanka":

"Sri Lankan cultural property from its colonial period that has been found in the Netherlands belong to a unique category in that they are claimed by Sri Lanka on the basis of contemporary thinking on the subject, but retained by the Netherlands based on the status quo that existed at the time of the taking. The position has begun to shift in the very recent past, with the Netherlands returning colonial cultural objects to some other countries, prompting renewed requests from Sri Lanka for at least a few of its pieces. Following the PPROCE report which comprehensively traced the provenance of a few selected items from Sri Lanka that are found in Dutch museums, a renewed request was made. It is also understood that a further request was made in early 2023, even though details of such request are known only to the ministry and museum staff and are not available to outsiders.
On this researcher’s visit to the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam (RMA) the museum staff indicated that they would be happy to support the restitution process but that the final decision would have to be made by the Dutch minister concerned. They were under the impression that no such request had been made at the time, in early November of 2022. Following discussions with the officials at the National Museum in Colombo, the researcher was made to understand that a request had been sent, but copies were not available for perusal. The request becomes important because even if provenance research establishes that the object does indeed originate in Sri Lanka, there is apparently no mechanism for the Netherlands to unilaterally decide to return the object without a request from the Home State of the object. Therefore, the receipt of a properly worded request is the starting point for any restitution process.
While it is appreciated that a certain degree of confidentiality and discretion must be exercised in these matters, transparency and inclusivity would be beneficial for these essentially public matters., It is hoped that once the request is received, the actual restitution process on the side of the Netherlands will be less complicated."

For more details about the webinar planned for Wednesday 24 May 2023, 12:30-14:30 (NL time/CET) OR 16:00-18:00 (SL time/IST) ➡ https://lnkd.in/eE9sqVPF

To give or not to give it back to Sri Lanka? Considerations, Concerns and Actions regarding artefacts of the colonial period The past is haunting the present people of the Netherlands.

29/03/2023

At Centre for Global Heritage and Development we are deeply saddened to hear of Dr. Karin Willemse's passing.

Our thoughts are with her loved ones and colleagues at the Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication (ESHCC) during this difficult time.

Dr. Willemse's research and work in the field of media and communication were remarkable and will always be remembered.

Met groot verdriet en verslagenheid melden wij dat onze zeer gewaardeerde collega dr. Karin Willemse op zaterdag 18 maart 2023 is overleden.

28/03/2023

Join us on the 24th May for the free web seminar titled "To give or not to give it back to Sri Lanka? Considerations, Concerns and Actions regarding artefacts of the colonial period".

Organized by the Netherlands Sri Lanka Foundation, in partnership with the Centre for Global Heritage and Development, this seminar will address unresolved issues surrounding the overlapping heritage of the Netherlands and Sri Lanka.

We will discuss how to cost-effectively and efficiently put into practice matters concerning the restitution, repatriation/return of objects of the colonial period in Dutch museums, the implications of this for and , and what it could mean for further policy-making, academic and applied research, and capacity and capabilities development.

The free event will feature presentations by experts on cultural heritage law and commercial law, followed by moderated discussions.

For more details ➡ https://lnkd.in/eE9sqVPF

To enrol please fill out this form ✍: https://lnkd.in/eBQZNxRN

Programme outline
Date: Wednesday 24 May 2023, 12:30-14:30 (NL time/CET) OR 16:00-18:00 (SL time/IST)

Opening and welcome

A brief introduction on reasons for the seminar and introducing
Her Excellency Ms. Drs. Bonnie Horbach, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Sri Lanka and the Maldives as moderator of the session.

Presentations by (title and synopsis to be provided soon):
• Speaker 1: Dr. Evelien Campfens
A cultural heritage law specialist and post-doc fellow at the Research Group ‘Museums Collections and Society’.
• Speaker 2: Professor Naazima Kamardeen
Department of Commercial Law, Faculty of Law, University of Colombo.

Discussions to be moderated by Ambassador Bonnie Horbach.

Summary and Close.

This is a unique opportunity to learn about the historical entanglement of the Netherlands and Sri Lanka and join the conversation about the restitution of cultural artefacts.