“Cultural appropriation” is a volatile topic. While some emphasize the universality of the world’s cultural heritage, for others the colonial history, marked by oppression, violence and dehumanization, cannot be ignored when the West exhibits artefacts from other cultures.

To whom do cultural objects belong? Is there a human right to own the works of one’s own ethnic group? Can “digital twins” in virtual reality replace the originals? And where do the concepts of universal humanity clash with those of the right to national identity? These and more questions were discussed by a distinguished panel on Thu., 1 December 2022, at the Volkskundemuseum Vienna.

Additionally, the Human Rights Talk marked the 30th anniversary of the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Fundamental and Human Rights.

The podium in detail:

Welcome notes

• Claudia Peschel-Wacha, Deputy Director, Volkskundemuseum, Vienna
• Christoph Wiederkehr, Deputy Mayor and Executive City Councilor for Education, Youth, Integration and Transparency, City of Vienna
• Michael Lysander Fremuth, Scientific Director, Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Fundamental and Human Rights

Keynote speech

• Sabine Irene Freifrau von Schorlemer, Professor and Chair of International Law, European Union Law and International Relations, Dresden University of Technology; UNESCO Chair in International Relations; former Minister of State for Science and the Arts, Free State of Saxony; Sabine Irene Freifrau von Schorlemer publishes the following thematically relevant book around the turn of the year 2022/23: “UNESCO-Weltkulturerbe und postkoloniale Diskurse: Eine völkerrechtliche Betrachtung”, Nomos.

Panel discussion

• Daniel Romuald Bitouh, Literature and Cultural Studies Researcher; Director of the project “3RRR: Restitution, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation”; Founder and Chairman of AFRIEUROTEXT
• Luis Javier Campuzano Piña, Ambassador of the United Mexican States in Vienna (video message)
• simon INOU, Journalist and Media Critic; Co-Initiator of the project “3RRR: Restitution, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation”; Publisher of freshzine, Black Austrian Lifestyle Magazine; Radio co-producer of freshvibes- Radio FRO
• Florian Meixner, World Heritage and Cultural Property Protection Officer, Austrian UNESCO Commission
• Sabine Irene Freifrau von Schorlemer, Professor and Chair of International Law, European Union Law and International Relations, Dresden University of Technology; UNESCO Chair in International Relations; former Minister of State for Science and the Arts, Free State of Saxony
• Petra Weschenfelder, University Assistant, Institute for African Studies, University of Vienna

Audience discussion

Closing statement

• Elvira Welzig, Managing Director, Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft

Chairperson

• Clarissa Stadler, Presenter “Kulturmontag”, Austrian Broadcasting Corporation

For further details on the program, please refer to the download area.