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Democratic Republic of Congo to inaugurate national museum | Democratic Republic of Congo to inaugurate national museum |
(about 3 hours later) | |
The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo will officially inaugurate a new national museum in Kinshasa on Saturday. | |
The new facility, funded by the South Korean International Cooperation Agency, took three years to build and was completed in June. | The new facility, funded by the South Korean International Cooperation Agency, took three years to build and was completed in June. |
Hundreds of items portraying life and culture are on display. | Hundreds of items portraying life and culture are on display. |
Officials have expressed their hope of expanding the collection with items taken abroad during the colonial era. | Officials have expressed their hope of expanding the collection with items taken abroad during the colonial era. |
A particular focus of restitution is items in the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren, Belgium, which re-opened last year. | A particular focus of restitution is items in the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren, Belgium, which re-opened last year. |
Joseph Kabila, the former leader of DR Congo, previously said they would seek restitution of items from the Belgian facility - though no official request has yet been made. | Joseph Kabila, the former leader of DR Congo, previously said they would seek restitution of items from the Belgian facility - though no official request has yet been made. |
The country was officially annexed by Belgium in 1908 and gained its independence in 1960. | The country was officially annexed by Belgium in 1908 and gained its independence in 1960. |
The issue of Africa's "looted treasures" from the colonial era are a long-contested topic. In 2018, a landmark French report called for thousands of artefacts to be returned to the continent. | The issue of Africa's "looted treasures" from the colonial era are a long-contested topic. In 2018, a landmark French report called for thousands of artefacts to be returned to the continent. |
In the past, western countries have been reluctant to repatriate items from their museums, raising concerns over lack of adequate protective infrastructure and political instability. | In the past, western countries have been reluctant to repatriate items from their museums, raising concerns over lack of adequate protective infrastructure and political instability. |
The new building replaces older facilities in DR Congo, where concerns have been raised about the conditions items are kept. | The new building replaces older facilities in DR Congo, where concerns have been raised about the conditions items are kept. |
The national museum has two levels housing a variety of items on show, including masks and statuettes made by some of the country's hundreds of different tribes. | The national museum has two levels housing a variety of items on show, including masks and statuettes made by some of the country's hundreds of different tribes. |
Aimé Mpane, a local art teacher, told the BBC that she hoped the new museum and its art collection would become a source of inspiration for contemporary artists across the country. | Aimé Mpane, a local art teacher, told the BBC that she hoped the new museum and its art collection would become a source of inspiration for contemporary artists across the country. |
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