International Conference on Recovery of Cultural Heritage (NHRC) Kicks Off in Lalitpur

Kanak Mani Dixit at the NHRC event. Photo: Oree Prasain / TDN

Kathmandu: Opening day of the International Conference on Recovery of Cultural Heritage (NHRC), in collaboration with the Department of Archaeology (DOA), Government of Nepal, held on 16 June, 2025, took place in Sajha South Asia Centre, Lalitpur.

Kanak Mani Dixit, Vice president of Nepal Heritage Recovery Campaign (NHRC) and conference Conveyor, gave a brief prologue on the program and officially commenced the conference. A 16th century necklace belonging to Goddess Taleju Bhawani, the patron Devi of Malla Kings of Kathmandu was exhibited as the conference’s icon.

Moreover, Saubhagya Pradhananga, Director-General of the Department of Archaeology and Repatriation of Nepal’s Heritage, addressed the audience and discussed national strategies for heritage return. She also shared statistics on returned artifacts across different nations, addressed ongoing challenges, and wrapped up with a concluding statement.

America’s only professor of Art Crime at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Erin L. Thompson, further shared the stage and presented “A Single Fight with Infinite Battles.” The conference talked about how giving back stolen cultural items helps bring justice, healing, and peace to the people and countries who lost them.

Further, many individuals including specialists, cultural advocates, decision-makers, and local voices from Nepal and abroad came together at this global event. They shared ideas on a range of issues, from the removal of cultural treasures from at risk areas to the rules and agreements that guide their return.

With a total of five sessions, the conference explored many sides of cultural heritage restoration. It concluded with a powerful case study done on the return of the Taleju Bhawani statue. The first day of the conference ignited critical discussions about the return of Nepal’s looted heritage, reminding us of the ‘value’ of artifacts. These pieces are not only art or history, they are the lifeblood of the communities they come from. Returning these is a way of restoring pride, identity and connection.