At Bridging Cultures: Moving Towards New Perspectives in Museums, the session on Communities at the Heart of the Process of Return and Restitution of Cultural Property examined the vital role that communities play in shaping ethical and meaningful restitution processes.

Dr. Sadiah Boonstra, Founder and CEO of CultureLab, was one of the panelists and emphasised that restitution extends beyond the physical return of objects, involving the restoration of histories, relationships, and dignity to the communities concerned. Case studies demonstrated how community engagement has been pivotal to successful restitution efforts, while also exposing the complexities of navigating multiple stakeholders, and the discussion concluded by addressing both the challenges of embedding communities in decision-making and the good practices that have emerged in facilitating collaborative and responsible returns of cultural property.