CENTRAL TEXAS MODEL UN CRISIS COMMITTEES

International Assembly on Rights of Cultural Antiquity

CRISIS DIRECTOR | Kira Azulay Spring 2020 COPYRIGHT NOTICE

The contents of this document and any supplementary material are the sole intellectual property of Central Texas Model United Nations.

It may not be reproduced, republished, or used without the express written permission of Central Texas Model United Nations.

Please email [email protected] with any questions. NOTE TO DELEGATES FROM THE CHIEF OF CRISIS

Dear Delegates,

On behalf of the entire Office of the Secretary General, I would like to welcome you to our Digital Spring Crisis Conference. My name is Nick Eastwood and I have the distinct pleasure of serving as the Chief of Crisis this year. I attended my first CTMUN conference as a freshman in high school nearly 7 years ago, and I continue to look back fondly on every conference since.

This past year has certainly been unusual, but because of the immense dedication of our crisis directors and crisis staff CTMUN continues to deliver the most exceptional conference in the South. We are immensely grateful for the time each and every member of our staff puts into this conference and are indebted to them for their continued efforts in this newfound environment.

I hope that during your brief time with us at CTMUN that you may immerse yourself into your role and have the same opportunity to experience breakthrough moments as I did nearly seven years ago. As the future leaders of tomorrow, I hope you take this conference as an opportunity to learn about foreign affairs not though a textbook but by experiencing diplomacy in practice.

Hook’em,

Nick Eastwood Chief of Crisis [email protected] NOTE TO DELEGATES FROM THE CRISIS DIRECTOR

Dear Delegates,

Welcome to the International Assembly on Rights of Cultural Antiquity! My name is Kira Azulay, and I am a senior Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies major with a certificate in Museum Studies at UT. I first got involved with Model UN as a delegate in 7th grade and I have loved it ever since. Since joining CTMUN I have staffed and created multiple crisis committees and last year I was the organization’s first Under-Secretary-General of Outreach and Development. I am very excited to serve as your Crisis Director in my final semester at the University of Texas. I hope this will be a fun, memorable, and educational experience for y’all. Please let me know if you have any questions. I will be happy to provide clarification or more information on the committee, background guide, or being a UT student!

I hope to see you all on conference day! Hook’em horns!

Kira Azulay Crisis Director [email protected] BACKGROUND INFORMAITON

BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO COLONIALISM Colonialism is the practice of one people establishing political power over another, often for economic dominance. This is most often associated with the 1500s of Europe, when multiple European countries began establishing colonies around the world, from North and South America, to Africa, to Asia. These colonies established trading posts to strengthen the home country’s economy, with the added purpose of spreading religion from the home country to the colony. Establishment of colonies was accomplished through multiple means but more often than not, through horrific violence. Conquerors and colonists were invaders, and while many of the residents of “newly discovered” lands were open to trade, they all had their own societies and governments and did not want to join an empire. Colonists often used force and deception to decimate native populations in order to subjugate them.

This resulted in the colonized region being used for resources or labor to the detriment and devastation of the colony. While powers all over the world have established colonies and colonization activity dates back as far as Ancient Egypt, modern colonialism is most associated with Europe. Historian Philip Hoffman calculated that by 1800, before the Industrial Revolution, Europeans already controlled at least 35% of the globe, and by 1914, they had gained control of 84% of the globe. The effects are still felt today. “The world's colonial population at the outbreak of the First World War (1914) - a high point for colonialism - totaled about 560 million people, of whom 70% lived in British possessions, 10% in French possessions, 9% in Dutch possessions, 4% in Japanese possessions, 2% in German possessions, 2% in American possessions, 2% in Portuguese possessions, 1% in Belgian possessions and half of 1% in Italian possessions.”1The still holds authority over the remaining “commonwealth” countries in its Empire, though 65 countries have left the British Empire with the most recent being Brunei in 1984.

Though much of colonial power was for economic purposes, colonial countries also reaped many social, cultural, and scientific benefits from their colonies. Origins of Museums

Given the colonial power’s total authority over Humans have been collecting artifacts and native populations in their colonies, curiosities interesting art to create records of themselves were taken without regard to their function or and their societies for ages. People have importance to the original community. This always wanted to preserve history and continued as archaeology became popular and understand where we as humans came from. excavations for ancient artifacts were set up. The earliest recorded collection similar to a Results of excavations were held and exhibited museum dates back to ancient Babylon, when in museums in European countries, where the Princess Ennigaldi-Nanna collected artifacts majority of research was conducted. which were up to 1,500 years old, then organized and arranged them to be seen. Each artifact was labeled with its provenance meticulously written out on clay tablets.

Modern museums are often traced back to “kunstkamera” or cabinets of curiosities, popularized by Tsar Peter the Great of Russia. Educated and worldly aristocrats would collect natural and man-made objects that interested them. Collections of these objects were also meant to show off the wealth and culture of the collector, something that had previously been shown through art collection, or patronage. Collections of objects, artifacts, and art were not put together, but they had a common purpose which was the physical manifestation of a person’s status in a way that could be easily pointed to and shown off.

Later these collections began to be exhibited to the public in the spirit of education. In the “Enlightenment” period collections became more organized according to scientific and rational criteria, used to promote research about the wider world. As “new” lands were discovered there arose a great demand in the “Old World” for souvenirs, relics, cultural objects, and natural specimens of plants and animals from these expeditions. Explorers would take living and dead specimens to study and display. This also happened with people. Native people of colonized areas would be brought to Europe and shown to the public alongside animals. Native people and cultures were exhibited as curiosities for a public that had never seen anything so different. Past Efforts by the United Nations UNESCO, or the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, was created after World War II. One of its first initiatives was the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. The convention was a response to World War II, in which cultural property had been stolen by the Nazi forces from individuals, primarily Jewish citizens, as well as looted from the surrounding areas or appropriated from museums and cultural institutions in occupied countries.

In 1970, UNESCO convened the Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. It was meant to as a large expansion on the foundation of the 1954 Convention and meant to offer an international framework and guidelines for preventing theft, looting, and encouraging the “return and restitution of stolen cultural property, in parallel with other advances in the fight against illicit trafficking.” 2 The convention defined “cultural property” as property “which, on religious or secular grounds, is specifically designated by each State as being of importance for archaeology, prehistory, history, literature, art or science,” ruled that the import, export, or transfer of ownership of cultural property was illicit. Each country, in signing on to the convention, agreed to create a national inventory of protected property, supervise archaeological excavations, and create certificates detailing the “provenance” or history of ownership, custody, and location of a historical object.

The convention was not retroactive however and has no bearing on artifacts obtained before 1970.

In 1978 UNESCO established the Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its Countries of Origin or its Restitution in case of Illicit Appropriation. It was meant to address restitution or return of lost cultural property where there were loopholes in previous regulations, for example cases which concerned objects acquired before the 1970 Convention came into force. A supplement to the 1970 Convention was added in 1995 to clarify and expand information about transfer of ownership of cultural property. Among its stipulations was a “uniform treatment for restitution of stolen or illegally exported cultural objects and allows private claims to go through national courts.”

Efforts by Individual Nations While this international framework provided increased awareness and global support for nations seeking restitution of stolen or illegally exported cultural objects, there were many issues that remained unchanged. Many controversial artifacts were not covered by the 1970 convention’s regulations and required outside solutions. Most cases, and especially the most high profile cases, were private citizens claiming that objects were the personal property of them or their family, such as pieces of art which had been seized by Nazis during the second World War. More recently, repatriation calls by national governments for objects of cultural antiquity have become prevalent. In line with the 1970 Convention, many signatory countries have created domestic committees and taskforces that deal with cultural property. For example, Italy created a division for art crime within their domestic police force, the Carabinieri. In 2003, China established the National Cultural Heritage Administration, a division of the Ministry of Culture, in order to regulate museums and protect national cultural heritage items. Contemporary diplomacy deals sometimes include artifact repatriation or are returned to the country of origin as gestures of goodwill.

Issues with Repatriation For artifacts already within museum collections, questions of ownership have usually been dealt with when individual claims are filed. However, many museums have complicated regulations regarding the de-accessioning of objects in their collection. The German Museum Association released guidelines on dealing with colonial materials. Repatriation of artifacts, though growing in popularity and in familiarity with the public, is generally the exception rather than the rule. Notable artifacts have been controversially held in museums outside their land of origin or discovery. This includes the Elgin Marbles, or Parthenon Marbles, the Rosetta Stone, and loot from the Summer Palace in Beijing. Calls for repatriation for the Parthenon Marbles experienced a resurgence in Greece in the 1980’s due to a strong growth of nationalist sentiments. Spokespeople for the Greek government assert that the Parthenon Marbles had been illegitimately removed from Greece, so the British Museum’s claims to ownership were invalid. The British Museum has offered to loan the Marbles to the Greek government, however this would necessitate the Greeks acknowledge the ownership by the British Museum as legitimate. Multiple deals over the past 40 years have been proposed and rejected.

China has also faced years of extraordinary looting and destruction of its priceless cultural history. State efforts to regain these stolen objects have been called a matter of national honor. Some private citizens have taken matters into their own hands. Wealthy individuals have prioritized buying back stolen Chinese artifacts when they are up for sale at art auctions. One corporation, the Poly Corp., created a branch of the company solely dedicated to culture, and founded a museum to house their retrieved artifacts. Efforts of states and private citizens have been unfortunately overshadowed by a number of robberies. More understated than the high profile events in the movie Black Panther, notable institutions, such as the KODE Gallery in Norway, and the Château de Fontainebleau in , have been robbed of specific artifacts in incredibly professional and still unsolved raids of their Chinese exhibitions.

Some activists have resorted to public pressure, rather than the secret methods of the anonymous robbers. Activists and artists have staged performative events where they will walk in and physically take objects which are less stringently guarded, even recording or streaming their activities. While they are always stopped and arrested, their intention is to bring attention to what they view as an injustice of foreign institutions owning their cultural heritage. Current Situation The year is 2023. While Covid-19 was challenged by the vaccine, unfortunately enough variants mutated around the world that the pandemic has continued. The global community was reinfected with Covid-21, a mutation of the UK coronavirus variant, which grew resistant to vaccines after circulating through half-vaccinated spring breakers in Miami Beach, Florida. Museums are therefore unable to open to visitors yet and have suspended all activity taking place within institutions. With in person interaction limited because of the pandemic, which now requires three masks and a seven-foot distance between any two people, research has paused on artifacts in museum collections.

“New Normal” operations are forecasted to resume in spring of 2024. In light of this situation, there has been a call for museum professionals, governmental representatives, historians, art experts, and many others, to come together and reevaluate the future of museums. The international community hopes that with this space, there can be reflection upon how museums operate and whether any changes can be made.

Committee Format and Purpose The conclave is titled the International Assembly on Rights of Cultural Antiquity. Recognizing the accomplishments but also the failures and limits of efforts that have gone before, this body has the power to make recommendations to be followed by all accredited museums and governmental organizations.

It is intended to continue the work done by the past UNESCO Conventions, going further by encouraging all participants to take action. The regulations and agreements created by the committee will be internationally legally binding.

In order to accomplish this, all participating institutions were required to nominate empowered representatives. The individuals or delegations are authorized to de- acquisition, accept artifacts, and broker deals as necessary. Should representatives come from the same institution they will act as double delegates. There is one vote per institution. CHARACTERS All participants have been nominated by their institutions as authoritative representatives. The individuals or delegations are authorized to de- acquisition, accept artifacts, and broker deals as necessary. Should representatives come from the same institution they will act as double delegates. There is one vote per institution.

SIR RICHARD LAMBERT Sir Lambert is the current leader of the British Chairman of the British Museum Museum Board of Trustees, the body responsible for all accessioning decisions at the Museum. A Board of Trustees logical man with a background in economics and monetary policy, he is also the current Chairman of Bloomsbury Publishing.

HARTWIG FISCHER Fischer is a German art historian and the first Director of the British Museum non-British head of the British Museum since 1866. He is fluent in German, Italian, French, and English, and has a background in 19th century and modern art. As Director, he has supported the British Museum’s continued ownership of the Parthenon Marbles and called their removal “a creative act,” which has sparked fierce critiques. His opponents have described this as historical revisionism.

KOSTAS BAKOGIANNIS Bakogiannis comes from a prestigious political Mayor of Athens, Member of the family, but suffered tragedy when his father was assassinated by terrorists when he was only 12. Board of Directors of the Acropolis After becoming highly educated abroad, he Museum followed in his family’s footsteps and ran for mayor of his father’s town. He has been popularly elected in every election to date, and has stated that governments should prioritize the wellbeing of the country over that of the government. CHARACTERS

DIMITRIOS PANDERMALIS Pandermalis is an erudite and old-fashioned President of the Board of Directors of expert scholar. A native Greek, he is a trained archaeologist, a professor of archaeology and the Acropolis Museum supervisor of current archaeological sites. He is also the curator of the Acropolis Museum, in charge of all exhibits and collections.

DARIO FRANCESCHINI The longest serving cultural heritage minister in Minister of Cultural Heritage and Italian history, Francescini has been politically active since his days as a high school student. He Activities and Tourism of Italy has enjoyed public support as a centrist and is in general in favor of coalition building in domestic politics.

MARTE MJØS PERSEN Known locally for her leftist politics in her native Chairman of the Board of KODE Art Norway, Persen has been a full-time politician while also working for a number of social causes Museum, Mayor of Bergen including workers’ rights and environmental conservation. She is a motivated and principled woman, outspoken about what she believes.

MWAZULU DIYABANZA A fearless political activist, Diyabanza is a pan- Activist Africanist and outspoken critic of the colonial legacy in contemporary African society. He founded an organization to return “plundered” cultural heritage to their native communities from European museums and has been arrested multiple times for removing artifacts he believes are illegitimately held by these museums. CHARACTERS

LARS CHRISTIAN KOCH Previously the head of the Ethnological Museum of Director for the Collections of the , Koch has taken the helm of a new and daring museum in Berlin. He has acknowledged Staatliche Museen zu Berlin in the the colonial history in German museums, and has Humboldt Forum worked to connect European museums and their collections with native communities from which those collected artifacts originate. His ideas are to create a new way to approach the idea of European museums and their ethnographic collections.

GEORGE ABUNGU An archaeologist by training and former director of Chairman of the International the National Museums of Kenya, Abungu has worked with the Humboldt forum to create a Standing Committee on the Traffic of modern ethnographic museum which only Illicit Antiquities, Humboldt Forum showcases objects with clear and documented Advisor provenance. His goal in working with European museums has been to explore decolonization and cultural heritage questions while not decimating European collections.

DENNIS AHEARN Dennis Ahearn, known as an expert in security Director of Security, Christie's and a friendly collaborator. His background has been in security in multiple fields, including time as a military police officer, but his passion for art has led him to an illustrious career in protection for crimes against art. He oversees one of the most prestigious auction houses in the world.

DR. ECKART KÖHNE Current President of the German Museums President of the German Museums Association, he has endorsed the new guidelines for German Museums in dealing with colonial Association artifacts. His primary focus has been cultural collaboration and educational exchange with other museums in order to promote international ties. CHARACTERS

GODWIN OBASEKI A highly educated and intelligent man, Obaseki Governor of Edo began his career in finance, then worked to promote economic success in his native Nigeria. He currently serves as Governor of the Edo region, promoting Nigerian and African culture and business to the international community. Within his own community, he serves as Trustee of an NGO which provides free education and health services to those who cannot afford it.

AUDREY AZOULAY The second ever female leader of UNESCO, Director-General of UNESCO Azoulay has served in the French civil service before her appointment to the UN. She grew up in a very politically active and left-wing family, which encouraged her to go into the public sector. She has been one of the most effective promoters of French arts, spearheading initiatives for French state support for the arts and for international protection of cultural heritage, the latter of which was adopted by UNESCO as a complement to the organization’s earlier resolutions.

DR. KHALED AHMED ANANI ALI A native Egyptian and expert in Egyptology, Anani EZZ has been recognized as an expert in ancient Egyptian language, culture, and antiquities. He Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, has worked on international programs with the Egypt German Archaeological Institute, but has prioritized the promotion of Egyptian tourism, one of the country’s main industries.

GEORGE JUMA ONDENG’ A cultural heritage professional, Ondeng’ is an Coordinator of Public Programmes at expert in the colonial legacy and its impact on not only the world order but as well. He National Museum of Kenya, Member has been a proponent and supporter of improving of International Inventories Program East African, specifically Kenyan, museums and their ability to showcase their cultural heritage. His work has helped to locate Kenyan artifacts around the world. CHARACTERS

LI XIAOJIE A staunch advocate of national protection for Chairman of China Foundation for cultural heritage, Li has worked to promote relic protection within the country. There has been an Cultural Heritage Conservation increase in museums, exhibitions, and visitors within China, however he has stated how important it is for China to increase its international presence. Cultural heritage is absolutely a matter of national pride and honor for Li.

JIANG YINGCHUN Jiang is currently a director of the Poly Culture CEO of Poly Culture Group Corp. Group, which has been an easy transition. His original background is in history and archaeology, but he has worked in the fine arts field both domestically and internationally. Jiang worked with Poly Corp’s International Auction branch, accumulating cultural artifacts for the Chinese company. Poly Culture Group Corp also oversees the Poly Corp Museum in Beijing.

H.E. DR. HIRUT KASSAW An expert in Ethiopian Language and Literature, Minister of Culture, Tourism and Kassaw has previously worked in education. She recently was appointed as a Minister of Culture, Sport, Ethiopia and has already won multiple awards for her service. She is a proponent of Ethiopian culture above all.

JEAN-LUC MARTINEZ A controversial leader of the Louvre, Martinez has President-Director of the Musée du worked to modernize the global museum. He has allowed music videos, television shows, and films Louvre to be shot inside the museum, leading to outrage from traditionalists. However, Martinez has weathered conservative outrage with the support of the progressive French President Macron. He has worked to digitize the Louvre’s collection and understand the layperson’s experience in the museum. CHARACTERS

LYNDALL LEY A natural leader, Ley has been an outspoken Executive Director, Return of Cultural supporter of Indigenous Australians, both within Australia and around the world. Her work has Heritage, Australian Institute of served to highlight the rights of Aboriginal and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Torres Strait Islander peoples in relation to Studies cultural artifact collections. Her experience in library sciences and community/cultural services have resulted in successfully maintaining the world’s largest contextualized collection of Indigenous Australia.

QUINCY HOUGHTON Houghton has led the Metropolitan Museum of Art Deputy Director for Exhibitions, The in creating exhibitions from its expansive collection, while also strengthening international Metropolitan Museum of Art connections to facilitate loans between museums. Her experience has been broad, from Baroque and Dutch art, to contemporary photography. Her position overseeing all exhibitions at the Met gives her unparalleled access to the museum’s encyclopedic collections.

ALEJANDRO ARTURO NEYRA A lawyer, writer, and diplomat, Sanchez has a SÁNCHEZ wide and varied experience. He has been a successful negotiator for Peru in multiple Minister of Culture, Peru diplomatic situations, including a large deal concerning Peruvian archaeological pieces quickly after he was appointed to the Ministry of Culture. He is a proud Peruvian, extremely creative, and dedicated in service to his country.

STÉPHANE MARTIN Martin has been a controversial figure in recent Director of the Museé du Quai Branly French politics following president Macron’s promise that the state would repatriate all African – Jacques Chirac objects. His disagreement with the president drew critics and supporters, as he argued that not only would this incapacitate museums like his, it is difficult to bring in new conservators. He has supported hiring more diverse staff to the museum, which he has led for over 20 years. CHARACTERS

AMY CAPPELLAZZO An expert in contemporary art, Cappellazzo has Chairman of the Fine Art Division, been a groundbreaking figure within the art industry and market. She founded her own Sotheby’s company, which attracted attention from prestigious institutions like Sotheby’s, an international auction house. Already accomplished, her career is just beginning.

INGRID VAN ENGELSHOVEN Van Engelshoven has been a strong proponent of Minister of Education, Culture and diversity efforts in the , and has supported controversial reparative endeavors to Science of the Netherlands correct the preference for white men in Dutch academia. Before her work in the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science, she worked for public causes such as the Foundation for Responsible Alcohol Consumption, and youth services. She is a strong advocate for restorative policies and active efforts to right historical wrongs.

YISRAEL HASSON Hasson is an Israeli archaeologist, working to Director of the Israel Antiquities perform excavations in the West Bank. Through his work with the IAA, Israel has collected a Authority number of important artifacts of Samarian origin. Israel has also called for the return of artifacts from foreign museums as it hopes to strengthen national pride and culture domestically.

BERNARD DE GRUNNE De Grunne has been collecting art alongside his Owner of the Tribal Fine Arts Gallery, father from 1968-1995 and studied under Professor Albert Maesen, a curator of the Royal Brussels Museum of Central Africa in Tervusen, . He is known for selling the controversial Nigerian sculptures, or Christie's Igbo figures, in 2010. He has owned the Tribal Fine Arts Gallery for over 25 years. RESOURCES Resources, Links, References This is a list of resources you are encouraged to explore and consult in preparation for the conference in addition to this background guide.

Agreements and International Guidelines UNESCO 1970 Convention UNESCO website 50 Year Anniversary of 1970 Convention German Guidelines for Colonial Artifacts in Museums -dmb-guidelines-colonial-context.pdf (museumsbund.de)

Chinese Artifacts https://www.gq.com/story/the-great-chinese-art-heist https://news.cgtn.com/news/2020-03-01/Return-of-cultural-heritage-celebrated-but-China-has- to-do-more-OtZAmcLboY/index.html https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-30810596 http://chinaplus.cri.cn/news/china/9/20170811/15746.html https://itsartlaw.org/2019/07/26/treasures-from-the-middle-kingdom-chinas-hunt-for-lost- antiquities/ Amid Strengthening Political Ties With China, Italy Gives the Go-Ahead to Repatriate 800 Chinese Cultural Artifacts | Artnet News

British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/about-us/british-museum-story/objects-news/parthenon- sculptures/parthenon-sculptures-trustees https://www.britishmuseum.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/De-accession_Policy_Nov2018.pdf https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/15/world/europe/greece-british-museum-elgin- marbles.html?action=click&module=RelatedCoverage&pgtype=Article®ion=Footer

International Deals https://www.ethioembassy.org.uk/remarks-by-h-e-dr-hirut-kassaw-on-the-occasion-of-the- official-handover-of-locks-of-hair-belonging-to-emperor-tewodros-ii/ https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/26/us/illinois-artifacts-australia-trnd/index.html https://andina.pe/Ingles/noticia-perus-foreign-affairs-ministry-hands-over-repatriated-cultural- property-to-culture-sector-813884.aspx https://www.government.nl/government/members-of-cabinet/ingrid-van- engelshoven/news/2021/01/29/government-redressing-an-injustice-by-returning-cultural- heritage-objects-to-their-country-of-origin France’s President Has Promised to Return Africa’s Heritage—Now Macron’s Pledge Is Being Put to the Test | Artnet News In an Effort to Correct Its Cultural 'Blind Spot,' Germany Releases a Code of Conduct for Colonial- Era Artifacts | Artnet News http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/651322.stm Benin Bronze Working Group