<p><strong>Andreas Guibeb</strong>, Namibia's ambassador to Germany called the move "important as a step for us to reconcile with our colonial past and the trail of humiliation and systematic injustice that it left behind," during a ceremony at the Berlin Museum earlier today. </p><p>Germany's Culture Minister <strong>Monika Grütters</strong> said the move was a<strong> </strong>"clear signal" that the country is "committed to coming to terms with our colonial past." </p>
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</p><div id="e0ff4" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="S8JZNH1558135052"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1129325825579540480" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">"The restitution of cultural objects is an important part of our efforts to build a common future with #Namibia", M… https://t.co/gbPfeLZXSd</div> — German Embassy NAM (@German Embassy NAM)<a href="https://twitter.com/GermanEmbassyNA/statuses/1129325825579540480">1558087233.0</a></blockquote></div>
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<p>Germany has pledged to return stolen cultural property to its former colonies in an attempt to come to terms with its dark colonial legacy. The country<a href="https://www.okayafrica.com/germany-to-return-human-remains-of-namibian-genocide-victims/" target="_blank"> returned the skulls of 30 Namibian genocide victims earlier this year</a>. It took the country over 100 years to acknowledge and apologize for the mass killings of the Herero and Nama people, but as writer <strong>Perivi John Katjavivi </strong>wrote for <em>OkayAfrica</em> back in 2016, an apology is not enough. <br></p><p><div class="dfp_atf-slot" data-not-loaded="true"></div><script type="text/javascript">
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</script></p><p>Several African governments and individuals have called for reparations and full repatriation of stolen items back to the African continent. In conjunction with the opening of the <a href="https://www.okayafrica.com/in-conversation-hamady-bocoum-museum-of-black-civilizations/" target="_blank">Museum of Black Civilizations</a> last year, the <a href="https://www.okayafrica.com/senegal-urges-french-museums-return-looted-art/" target="_blank">Senegalese government urged </a>France's <strong>President Emmanuel Macron</strong> to return all of its looted art. The French leader had previously agreed to returning 26 looted artifacts to Benin and, expressed plans to push for permanent restitution of African art. </p><p>In January, an Egyptian cartouche of <strong>King Amenhotep I</strong>, <a href="https://www.okayafrica.com/stolen-ancient-egyptian-artifact-returned/" target="_blank">was returned</a> after being put up for auction in London. </p>
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