Digital conference addresses ethical challenges of human remains from colonial contexts with unknown provenance

On February 18, 2026, there was an event called "Between Research, Responsibility and Remembrance," which addressed the handling of human remains with unclear colonial histories. Attendees pointed out that many of these remains were acquired through colonial violence, which has ongoing implications. They discussed the differences between cases where the origin can be traced and those that remain unknown. Major hurdles include the need for collaborative research on provenance and the lack of documentation. DNA analysis was also a topic, with some advocating for its use to help identify remains for repatriation. Ethical considerations, like the concept of 'Keeping Places,' were examined. This gathering was organized by the Contact Point for Cultural Assets and Human Remains from Colonial Contexts in Germany, supported by the Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.