Restitution: Community reappropriations and new narratives

Arts and Creative Industries

The French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) and the Embassy of France in South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi will host a public discussion exploring contemporary approaches to restitution and the ways communities are reclaiming, reinterpreting and reshaping cultural narratives.

The event will take place in the presence of H.E. Mr David Martinon, Ambassador of France to South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi, and will bring together practitioners working across gaming, heritage, publishing, visual arts and cultural research.

Panellists include Ben Myres, CEO of Nyamakop; Molemo Moiloa, artist and co-founder of Open Restitution Africa; and Dr Motsane Seabela of the DITSONG National Museum of Cultural History. The discussion will be moderated by writer, artist and digital justice practitioner Youlandree Appasamy.

Through different perspectives and creative practices, the conversation will examine how restitution extends beyond the return of cultural objects to include questions of access, memory, representation and community ownership. Particular attention will be given to the role of artists, researchers and cultural practitioners in developing new narratives around heritage and historical collections.

Following the discussion, attendees will have the opportunity to experience Relooted, the award-winning video game developed by Nyamakop. Through an interactive narrative, the game engages directly with questions of restitution, heritage and the return of African cultural objects, offering a creative perspective on contemporary debates around cultural ownership and historical justice.

Date: 18 June 2026, 15:30–17:00
Venue: Dibukafé, 70 Juta Street, Braamfontein
RSVP: By 16 June 2026 via the registration link

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