Launch event of the Franco-German Research Fund on the Provenance of Cultural Objects from sub-Saharan Africa

The Centre Marc Bloch is very pleased to invite you on January 19th, 2024, to the official launch of the new Franco-German Research Fund on the provenance of cultural Objects from sub-Saharan Africa. In 2023, France and Germany decided to create a joint Fund dedicated to research on the provenance of cultural objects from sub-Saharan countries in their public institutions. The French Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs together with the German Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research have mandated the Centre Marc Bloch (CMB) to run the Fund. Museums, cultural, scientific and academic institutions in both Germany and France hold substantial collections of cultural and artistic objects with great symbolic, artistic, historic or societal significance for the countries and societies of origin. Over the last few years, strengthening provenance research has been a major objective for Germany and France, as well as for many other European countries. France and Germany have sought to support making sub-Saharan cultural heritage more accessible again to the sub-Saharan public. They are calling for a greater circulation of artworks and have also implemented new policies regarding restitutions of cultural goods and art works. The creation of the Franco-German Fund on the provenance of cultural objects from sub-Sahara is an integral part of a broader cultural policy seeking to strengthen and renew partnerships with sub-Saharan Africa. This Fund is a three-year initiative with an annual budget of 720.000€. Based on an annual call for proposals, it will support provenance research projects carried out by consortia bringing together French, German and sub-Saharan partners. The Scientific Council is responsible for defining the Fund’s program, project evaluation and selection. It is made up of nine highly recognized experts equally from France, Germany and sub-Saharan Africa: Felicity Bodenstein (Sorbonne University), Souleymane Bachir Diagne (Columbia University), Hugues Heumen Tchana (National Museum of Cameroon), Emmanuel Kasarhérou (Musée du Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac), Antoinette Maget-Dominicé (University of Geneva), Nzila Marina Mubusisi (National Museum of Namibia), Barbara Plankensteiner (Museum am Rothenbaum Hamburg), Emilie Salaberry (Musées d’Angoulême), Bénédicte Savoy (TU Berlin). The launch event will take place on January 19th from 3:30 p.m. at the Centre Marc Bloch in presence and online (Friedrichstraße 191 – 10117 Berlin, connexion link below). To celebrate the launch of the first call of the Fund, Souleymane Bachir Diagne, Professor of French and of Philosophy, Director of the Institute of African Studies at Columbia University, and member of the Fund’s Scientific Council, will give an inaugural conference (30 min), followed by a discussion with the public and the members of the Scientific Council attending the event online or in person (30 minutes). This scientific event will start with an official opening sequence (15 min) with high-level representatives from the German Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, the French Ministry of Culture, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. If you are interested in attending this meeting, please register with Dorothee Mertz (dorothee.mertz@cmb.hu-berlin.de), Coordinator of the Franco-German Research Fund at Centre Marc Bloch on the Provenance of Cultural Objects from sub-Saharan Africa at Centre Marc Bloch. For more information on the Franco-German Fund please contact Dr. Julie Sissia, Scientific Head of the Franco-German Research Fund on the Provenance of Cultural Objects from sub-Saharan Africa (julie.sissia@cmb.hu-berlin.de) at Centre Marc Bloch. PRESS: Journalists will have the opportunity to meet Souleymane Bachir Diagne for individual interviews before his presentation at the Centre Marc Bloch. If you are interested in this event, as well as in a bilateral interview with Souleymane Bachir Diagne, please register with Sébastien Vannier, Head of scientific Communications at Centre Marc Bloch (vas@cmb.hu-berlin.de).   Date:               19th of January 2024 – 3:30 p.m. Location :      Centre Marc Bloch – Friedrichstraße 191 – 10117 Berlin, 7th floor or online via https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85928251536