BENIN BRONZES-REPATRIATION

From the Legislature

Acknowledges and condemns the historical injustice associated with the original creation of the Benin Bronzes, the subsequent British acquisition and distribution of the relics, and the current possession of the Benin Bronzes by museums and collectors who are unwilling to share the relics with the heirs of the enslaved people who paid for them with their lives and the heirs of the Benin Kingdom slave traders. Urges the following steps be taken in regard to the Benin Bronzes: (1) an official request for the return and sharing of the Benin Bronzes, (2) the establishment of the Repatriation Committee, (3) the formation of an inventory and comprehensive documentation, (4) the development of a decision-making process, (5) the development of a sharing framework, (6) the collection of resale royalties, (7) the allocation of adequate resources from museum exhibit, loan, and resale royalty fees, (8) the initiation of programs and initiatives to bring heirs of the enslaved and the Benin Kingdom together for healing and reconciliation, and (9) the cooperation of heirs. Urges all nations, stakeholder museums, and collectors to support and adhere to this resolution, recognizing the importance of equitable sharing, redress, and healing in the context of the Benin Bronzes.