The proposition’s Second Opening Speech on the Repatriation of Cultural Artifacts: “Western museums should agree to repatriate cultural artifacts.”
YES!
Max Holz: Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen: Today as second speaker, I will propound why Western museums should agree to repatriate cultural artifacts.
My first point is undoubtedly the fact that injustice has persisted for too long. Many of the world’s wonders have been wrongfully hogged by Western museums without any measures being taken. For instance the Elgin Marbles, Anna has already addressed. It is not only inequitable but also criminal. On top of that Western museums show a plethora of disrespect to the countries of origin. A case in point is the British Museum’s announcement to loan Russia a piece of the Elgin Marbles, evoking a great insult to Greece as the country has been requesting the return of the Marbles for decades.
My second point is the case that cultural imperialism is dead. Therefore, Western museums cannot any longer keep hold of artifacts that were acquired under dubious circumstances a long time ago. If they do so, however, it serves only as a sad reminder to superiority, carrying the deeply offensive notion that certain countries look better after such artifacts than others ever could.
My last point revolves around cultural significance. Every country simply has the right to its heritage as it is part of its cultural identity. Hence the Greeks could identify more easily with their own culture if they possessed their Marbles.
Since many of the critics wonder, how the whole act of repatriating cultural artifacts would work, we drafted a concept. According to our ideas, a reputable, global organization would determine whether or not an artistic treasure has been legally removed from its country of origin. If such a contested artifact has been illegally replaced, it obviously qualifies for returning it. However, its country of origin needs to be in a politically stable area. Therefore, nations such as Syria or Iraq automatically do not qualify due to the guidelines because of their local struggles caused by ISIS.
To give a perfectly valid example for artifacts qualifying this process, there are the Elgin Marbles.
What this all amounts to, eventually, is that Western museums should agree to repatriate cultural artifacts.
November 2015