27 Nov 2018

Report calling for return of stolen art a landmark moment for Pacific - lawyer

From , 4:03 pm on 27 November 2018

A new report calling for the return of thousands of artworks stolen by France in the colonial era is a landmark moment for the Pacific. 

That's according to Paz Zarate, a Chilean lawyer specialising in disputes over the repatriation of art. 

The report, released on Friday, was commissioned by French President Emmanuel Macron. 

It calls for African artworks in French museums that were taken without consent to be given back to the continent. 

Ms Zarate told Mackenzie Smith the report will drive discussions around the world, including in the Pacific, on the legal basis for the return of cultural artefacts. 

Ahu Akivi Maois - statutes on the island of Rapa Nui / Easter Island.

Ahu Akivi Maois - statutes on the island of Rapa Nui / Easter Island. Photo: AFP