To compensate the victims of art theft or looting

To ensure the safekeeping and preservation of valuable artworks

To promote cultural exchange and understanding

To generate revenue for museums and galleries

The Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict

The UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property

The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods

The World Trade Organization Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights

The principle that certain cultural objects cannot be sold or transferred due to their historical or cultural significance

The principle that stolen or looted artworks should be returned to their rightful owners regardless of the passage of time

The principle that museums and galleries have the right to retain artworks acquired in good faith, even if they were later found to be stolen or looted

The principle that art restitution claims should be settled through negotiation and compromise rather than through legal proceedings

The concept that stolen or looted artworks become "ownerless" after a certain period of time and can be acquired by museums or galleries in good faith

The concept that cultural objects found in unclaimed or abandoned territories become the property of the state

The concept that artworks created by unknown or anonymous artists are not subject to copyright protection and can be freely reproduced and sold

The concept that cultural objects that have been damaged or destroyed can be replaced with replicas or copies

To establish the history of ownership and transfer of an artwork to determine its rightful owner

To assess the artistic value and authenticity of an artwork

To determine the fair market value of an artwork for insurance or sale purposes

To identify potential copyright infringement or trademark violations related to an artwork

The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL)

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

The World Customs Organization (WCO)

The International Council of Museums (ICOM)

The process of returning stolen or looted artworks to their country of origin or to the community from which they were taken

The process of transferring cultural objects from one museum or gallery to another for exhibition or safekeeping

The process of selling or auctioning cultural objects to raise funds for cultural heritage preservation projects

The process of digitizing cultural objects and making them accessible online for educational and research purposes

To actively research the provenance of artworks in their collections and to return any stolen or looted objects to their rightful owners

To display and promote cultural objects from around the world, regardless of their provenance or history

To acquire artworks from private collectors and dealers without conducting thorough provenance research

To sell or auction artworks in their collections to raise funds for museum operations and acquisitions

It helps to restore cultural heritage and to promote understanding between nations and communities

It provides financial compensation to the victims of art theft or looting

It raises awareness about the importance of protecting cultural property

It encourages museums and galleries to improve their provenance research practices

Identifying the rightful owners of stolen or looted artworks

Establishing clear legal frameworks for restitution claims

Overcoming political and diplomatic obstacles

Raising the necessary funds to compensate victims of art theft or looting