Uganda has officially stepped into the global conversation on cultural restitution with the launch of Ethics of Loaning program
The month-long program, led by Alliance Française Kampala (AFK) in partnership with Goethe-Zentrum Kampala and supported by the Franco-German Fund, was officially launched on Wednesday, 1st October with a keynote address from Dr. David Ngendo-Tshimba, Associate Professor and Head of the Centre for African Studies at Uganda Martyrs University.
The program will continue with a photographic exhibition of artefacts looted during the colonial period, opening on 3rd October at Nommo Gallery, Kampala.
Themed: Strengthening the Discourse on Restitution in Uganda, the exhibition showcases large-format reproductions of cultural items restituted in 1962 and 2024 including kanzus, pots, shields, necklaces, kings’ crowns, and other treasures.
Although the originals remain under conservation at the Uganda National Museum, the photographs, VR experiences, film screenings, and discussions provide space for Ugandans to reflect on their shared heritage and voice their place in international debates.
Loïc Boivin, the Alliance Française Kampala (AFK) Director, while addressing Journalists described the project as both a Ugandan and a global milestone.
“It is our honor to welcome you to the launch of a project that carries meaning not only for Uganda, but also for the wider global community.”
He noted that the Franco-German Fund is using culture to foster dialogue and solidarity.
“Through this program, the Franco-German Fund demonstrates the power of culture to unite perspectives and to foster meaningful exchange across nations.”
Boivin emphasized that the debate must extend beyond official institutions to include citizens, artists, and especially young people.
“Importantly, this conversation is not reserved for museums and institutions alone. It must include artists, scholars, communities, and especially young people whose voices will shape the future of this discourse.”
He added that Uganda’s experience of colonial expropriation gives the country a vital role in shaping restitution narratives.
“Uganda’s role in this global conversation is essential. With a history deeply marked by colonial expropriation, Uganda’s voice brings urgency, authenticity, and leadership to international debates on restitution.”
Barbara Emolot, Culture Program Coordinator at Goethe-Zentrum Kampala, explained that the initiative emerged to fill Uganda’s silence in global restitution debates.
“The French were telling us, this conversation is very vibrant in West Africa and even in Kenya, but Uganda was a bit quiet about it. So we said, what if we talk about it since even artefacts were recently returned?”
She recounted how local collaboration with the Uganda Museum gave birth to the project.
“We called the Uganda Museum and asked them to work with us, and they said yes. That is how the Ethics of Loaning project was born.”
Emolot said the exhibition aims to help Ugandans understand both the artefacts’ histories and what remains missing.
“We decided to do an exhibition of photos of some of the returned artefacts, so that people can get an understanding of what was taken, what was returned, and what is still missing.”
Beyond showcasing objects, she stressed its role in community education and advocacy.
“This exhibition is not just about looking at old objects—it’s about sparking conversations, strengthening the creative economy, and ensuring people push for more artefacts to be returned.”
Phillip Balimunsi, the curator of Uganda National Culture Centre and Nommo Gallery highlighted the wider social questions raised by restitution.
“When Alliance Française Kampala and Goethe-Zentrum reached out to us, we felt mandated to host this exhibition because we are the National Gallery. But what really caught our attention is the broader topic – restitution goes beyond learning, it looks at reparations, repatriation, and community justice.”
He warned that communities whose artefacts were taken often remain excluded from negotiations.
“Some of these objects came from communities, from kingdoms, from homes, from individuals. Yet when they return, it is government-to-government negotiations, leaving communities sidelined.”
Balimunsi also raised concerns about lost cultural context when artefacts are kept under strict conservation.
“Our interaction with heritage in Africa is physical—we touch, we experience, we perform. But with fragile artefacts under strict conservation, these interactions are restricted, and we risk losing context.”
He called on Ugandans to reclaim authority over their own heritage narratives.
“The question is, when these objects return, whose story do they carry? The traditional narrative of the community, or the borrowed narrative they picked up in Europe? That is what Ugandans must debate.”
The Ethics of Loaning program draws inspiration from global precedents such as France’s Savoy-Sarr Report and Germany’s return of the Benin Bronzes.
With this exhibition, Uganda adds its voice to the growing African movement seeking cultural justice and restitution.
The exhibition is free and open to the public at Nommo Gallery from October 3–24, 2025, beginning with an opening ceremony on October 3 at 5:00 PM.
Organizers say the initiative is about ensuring that cultural dialogue flows not just from Europe to Africa, but reciprocally, in genuine partnership.
“These issues directly impact communities’ identity, dignity, and the pursuit of justice. Hosting this conversation in Kampala ensures that local voices challenge and enrich the international narrative on restitution.”
