Conference: The Monuments Men, Social Media, the Law and Cultural Heritage

The Monuments Men, a star-studded film directed by George Clooney, is scheduled for release on December 18, 2013. The film, based on the book of the same name by Robert Edsel, tells a story based on the work of the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives program, which was responsible for protecting and saving works of art and cultural heritage during World War II. As the protection of cultural heritage in times of armed conflict and otherwise takes center stage--quite literally--in the public consciousness, LCCHP’s Fifth Annual Conference seeks to explore a variety of perspectives on the issue.

Focusing mostly, but not exclusively, on looting and destruction in the context of warfare and civil unrest, the Conference will consist of a full day of panels that trace historic looting, prevention and remediation and restitution efforts from the Second World War to modern day pillaging. The Conference, hosted by LCCHP, Fordham Law School, and the American Society of International Law (ASIL), will seek to:

honor the monuments officers of WWII fame;

review their successes and consider the legacy of their unfinished work;

study more recent examples of prevention efforts in times of armed conflict;

introduce efforts to address these problems currently being undertaken by museums and the art market, US armed forces, law enforcement and others; and

consider the role of various media, including The Monuments Men film and Internet resources, in publicizing the issue and raising cultural awareness.