The workshop will present a work in progress by Cécile Fabre offering a philosophical account of humankind’s common cultural heritage. Starting from the emergence of the World Heritage movement following the Nubian monuments salvage campaign and the 1972 UNESCO Convention, the book examines the claim that certain cultural goods belong to humanity as a whole and ground strong moral obligations, particularly towards future generations.        
The project argues that some cultural goods are part of a shared heritage insofar as all individuals have reasons to value them, and that they generate pro tanto duties of justice. At the same time, these duties must be qualified in light of concerns about territorial and private property rights, risks of cultural appropriation, and trade-offs with other important interests.         
The workshop will focus in particular on the chapters devoted to cultural appropriation and the return of cultural artefacts, which together explore key ethical tensions surrounding humankind’s common cultural heritage.

15:00 – 15:05 Opening remarks

15:05 – 15:55 Chapter 5: Cultural Appropriation

  – Until 15:10 Summary by Kebadu Mekonnen Gebremariam (Leiden University) 

  – Until 15:20 Discussion by Magali Bessone (Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne)

  – Until 15:25 Reply by Cécile Fabre (Oxford University)

  – Until 15:55 Group discussion (30 min)

15:55 – 16:10 Coffee break

16:10 – 17:00 Chapter 6: Return

  – Until 16:15     Summary by Karolien Nédée (UCLouvain Saint Louis)

  – Until 16:25 Discussion by Aurélia Bardon (Konstanz University)

  – Until 16:30 Reply by Cécile Fabre (Oxford University)

  – Until 17:00 Group discussion (30 min)

17:00 – 17:15 General discussion