Objectives:
The CCN is part of a collaborative initiative addressing threats to DRC’s cultural heritage, which faces destruction, looting, and trafficking exacerbated by ethnic, political, and socio-economic tensions. The committee focuses on systematic protection measures and capacity building for heritage preservation during conflicts and emergencies.
Restitution Measures:
None.
The project aims to provide basic tools for heritage management, protection, conservation, valorisation and promotion, but restitution is not mentioned as a goal.
The CCN works with international organisations like ICOMOS, with funding from the ALIPH Foundation to train heritage professionals on methodologies and tools for preparing general inventories of heritage sites. These inventories create documentation essential for identifying stolen or trafficked objects and supporting restitution claims. The systematic cataloguing approach provides evidence bases for recovery efforts.
Framework Limitations:
Operating in a conflict-affected environment is significantly challenging. Ongoing ethnic, political, and socio-economic tensions limit access to heritage sites and impede systematic documentation efforts. The committee’s collaborative approach depends on international partnerships and funding, creating sustainability challenges. The CCN’s work focuses on heritage inventory and protection, not specifically restitution.
