COUNTRY:AMSTERDAM.

The struggle for reparatory justice must extend beyond demands for compensation for slavery. It must confront the enduring structures of dispossession, including the continued retention of Africa’s cultural heritage in foreign institutions. The Cowrie Atlantic Foundation organised Reparations – A Dialogue of Decency at Pakhuis de Zwijger in Amsterdam on 13 November 2026. The event brought these issues into focus. Approximately 70 participants attended, mostly from Caribbean communities, including Curaçao, Aruba and Jamaica, alongside Dutch participants. Professor Sir Hilary Beckles delivered the keynote address. He examined the historical foundations of slavery, the economic interests that sustained it and the continuing struggle for reparatory justice.

The Pan-African Progressive Front (PPF) took part through Comrade Gbati Zoumaro, spokesperson for La Gauche Neuve du Togo (New Left of Togo) and a member of the PPF. Zoumaro used the occasion to advance the organisation’s campaign for the restitution of African cultural heritage. He displayed a QR code with information about the African artefacts the British Museum holds. He encouraged participants to read it and sign on to the campaign for their return. According to Zoumaro, almost everyone present signed on, and participants expressed appreciation for the initiative.

The intervention formed part of the PPF’s broader effort to challenge foreign institutions’ continued possession of African cultural property. The PPF also seeks to mobilise public support for the recovery of the continent’s stolen heritage. The struggle for restitution is not simply about the return of objects. It is about reclaiming historical memory, cultural identity and the right of African peoples to determine the fate of their heritage.

Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, in a black jacket, and Gbati Zoumaro, in a navy suit and red tie, stand side by side in the event hall at Pakhuis de Zwijger in Amsterdam

Professor Sir Hilary Beckles (left) and Comrade Gbati Zoumaro of the Pan-African Progressive Front after the keynote at Reparations – A Dialogue of Decency in Amsterdam, 13 November 2026. Photo: PPF

According to the Pan-African Progressive Front’s article, “Reparations Cannot Be Reduced to Apologies: The Struggle Must Now Confront the Structures of Exploitation”, Zoumaro’s observations drew attention to the deep emotional significance of reparations for Caribbean participants. They also stressed the need to strengthen solidarity between the Caribbean and the African continent. In a brief exchange after the keynote, he asked Beckles whether Caribbean communities felt supported by Africa. According to Zoumaro, Beckles acknowledged that support existed and called for greater involvement from African populations and civil society.

The appeal points to the importance of building solidarity beyond official diplomatic statements. African and Caribbean movements, universities, civic organisations and diaspora communities have a role to play. They can challenge public indifference, raise awareness, sustain pressure and keep demands for reparations and restitution firmly on the political agenda. Africa and the Caribbean must turn their historical ties into active cooperation in the pursuit of justice and self-determination.

The Amsterdam discussion underscored the need to connect historical recognition with organised action. The restitution of African cultural artefacts, the pursuit of reparatory justice and the strengthening of African-Caribbean solidarity are interconnected demands. They require sustained public mobilisation and political commitment. The recovery of stolen heritage is inseparable from the wider struggle for dignity, historical justice and the right of African peoples to reclaim their cultural inheritance.

PHOTO SOURCE: Pan-African Progressive Front (PPF)
Author: Amanda Lucas.