{
  "id": 10684962,
  "title": "Appointment of a Committee for the Restitution of Sri Lankan Cultural Heritage Held Abroad",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/appointment-of-a-committee-for-the-restitution-of-sri-lankan-cultural",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-29T11:26:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Island Sri Lanka",
    "slug": "the-island-sri-lanka",
    "url": "http://island.lk/appointment-of-a-committee-for-the-restitution-of-sri-lankan-cultural-heritage-held-abroad/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The appointment of a committee for the restitution of Sri Lankan cultural heritage held abroad has been officially approved by the Cabinet of Ministers. This committee aims to facilitate discussions with the Dutch committee regarding the ongoing artifact restitution process and to provide expert advice to the Sri Lankan government on returning cultural properties stolen from the country during the colonial era. Phase 1 of Sri Lanka's restitution efforts in 2023 saw the successful return of six artifacts, including the Lewke Disawa’s Cannon, two large cannons, two Kasthanes (swords), and a knife with scabbard, which were held at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Netherlands.",
  "summary": "Under Articles 7 and 13 of the UNESCO 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, rights are conferred upon a state to request the return of cultural property belonging to it that is currently held abroad. According to a proposal presented by […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}