On the introductory page for the session on Who Really Owns Art,  Art for Tomorrow's site states:

As the world undergoes unprecedented change, people are searching for meaning. By grappling with core societal issues, the arts can help define that meaning, frame it and inspire change.

Moderated by senior New York Times journalists, the world-class AFT program will bring together practitioners, experts and activists to explore the social impact of the arts. In addition, attendees will explore Athens’s eclectic artistic landscape, venturing into the city’s museums, galleries, performance spaces and artist studios to see the arts in action. Delegates can then move to the island of Hydra, and the opening of Jeff Koons’s project at the DESTE Foundation’s Slaughterhouse.

Sessions included: The Athens Effect; The Art of Diplomacy; The NFT Revolution; Art and Sustainability: Friends and Foes; Who Really Owns Art and More.

To view the programme and speakers, please visit: https://www.artfortomorrow.org/event-information/past-events/2022. You will also find the recodings of the sessions on the same site or on youtube.

The Panel debating 'Who Really Owns Art?' a complex question surrounding restitution issues faced by many museums, was Tristram Hunt, Tiffany Jenkins, Victor Ehikhamenor, moderated by Farah Nayeri. Sadly Director General of the Acropolis Museum, Nikos Stampolidis was unable to deliver his address, which was read out by Kim Connif Taber, Eitorial Director, Democracy and Culture Foundation.To watch the video, follow the link here.

Farah Nayeri, Culture Writer, The New York Times, has written a book which was published at the end of February this year, entitled,'Takedown: Art and Power in the Digital Age'.

'Repatriation of objects is on the government’s agenda, says UK culture secretary', the headline of The Art Newspaper article by Gareth Harris.

The UK’s secretary of state for culture, Lisa Nandy, has said that the government is in discussions with national museums about the repatriation of certain objects.

Music to our ears! This also struck a chord with Tristram Hunt, Director of the V & A. Tristram urged the review of the UK museums deaccession act when he spoke in July 2022 whilst attending Cultural Diplomacy at Art for Tomorrow's panel which took place at the Acropolis Museum in Athens. To read more on what Tristram said then, follow the link here. 

Responding to news that ministers are now exploring the repatriation of precious objects, Hunt told The Art Newspaper: “It is very encouraging to learn that the culture secretary is supportive of repatriation reform and updating the legislation that prevents national museums from deaccessioning objects in their collection. We now look forward to active conversations on this with the ministerial team.”

More links to this story also in ARTnews and Museum + Heritage.