“Finders, Not Keepers!

Cultural Treasures Belong in Their Country of Origin”

SPEAKERS FOR THE MOTION: Simon Jenkins (Chairman, National Trust / Former Editor, The Times) | Prof Jack Lohman (Director, Museum of London) | Sir David Tang (Entrepreneur / Patron of the Arts)

SPEAKERS AGAINST THE MOTION: Don Cohn (Senior Editor, Art Asia Pacific) | Lord Renfrew (Archaeologist) | Peter Watson (Author / Historian) Moderated by CNN's award-winning anchor, Kristie Lu Stout

“Finders, Not Keepers!

Cultural Treasures Belong in Their Country of Origin”

Do historical artefacts belong in their country of origin or do they belong to all of mankind? The inaugural Intelligence Squared debate in Asia provides a fresh perspective and challenges preconceptions. 

Intelligence Squared, the leading global forum for intellectual and cultural debate, will hold its first event in Asia on 15th May 2009.  The debate will take place before a live audience of 600 people at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre during ART HK 09 (Hong Kong International Art Fair) and will tackle the contentious issue of the rightful ownership, display and sale of historically significant artefacts. Leading international experts will put the following questions under the spotlight: Do historical treasures belong in their country of origin or to all of mankind? Where are cultural artefacts most appropriately viewed and appreciated? If cultural plunder is required to be repatriated, where does this leave the great museums of the world? 

Speakers for the motion: “Finders, not keepers! Cultural treasures belong in their country of origin” are Simon Jenkins, Chairman of the National Trust and former editor of The Times, Sir David Tang, entrepreneur and patron of the arts, and Professor Jack Lohman, Director of the Museum of London and Chairman of the National Museum in Warsaw, Poland.  Lord Renfrew, leading British archaeologist, Peter Watson, historian and journalist who has written three exposes on the art world, and Don Cohn, senior editor, Asia Art Pacific, will speak against it. The debate will be moderated by Kristie Lu Stout, the award-winning anchor of CNN’s Hong Kong-based morning programme ‘CNN Today’.

IQ2 Asia co-founder, Yana Peel, says: " From the ongoing dispute over the ownership of the Elgin Marbles to the recent furore over the Yves-Saint Laurent Paris auction of two Imperial Chinese bronzes looted from the Old Summer Palace, the ownership of cultural treasures continues to be the subject of great controversy. We are delighted that Outset and Wedel Fine Art will bring the debate to ART HK 09, given the Fair's success in attracting leading collectors, industry players and members of the public to focus on cultural themes in this dynamic part of the world.”

Since their UK launch in 2002, Intelligence Squared debates have attracted the world's leading thinkers, writers and activists, drawing crowds of up to 2,500 in London's most historic venues. Past speakers have included distinguished personalities like President Giscard D'Estaing, Lord Lawson of Blaby (former British Chancellor of the Exchequer) and Thomas Friedman.  Now reaching up to 70 million people through its partnership with BBC World as well as millions of online viewers, Intelligence2 host discussions and debates in the US, Australia and the Ukraine. The inaugural debate in Asia will further extend this network and will be followed by further events focusing on global political and economic issues.  

IQ2 Asia was set up by Yana Peel, co-founder of Outset Contemporary Art Fund, a non-profit organisation that supports public education, production and display within the arena of contemporary visual art; Amelie von Wedel, art consultant and founder of Wedel Fine Art; and Su-Mei Thompson, former Managing Director for Asia of the Financial Times.