Cabinet has approved the appointment of a special steering committee to facilitate the repatriation of Sri Lankan cultural property and artefacts taken abroad during the colonial era, in accordance with the UNESCO Convention.

The ‘Committee for the Restitution of Sri Lankan Cultural Heritage Abroad’ will be chaired by the Additional Secretary (Cultural Promotion and Foreign Affairs) of the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs.

The committee will facilitate discussions with the Dutch committee on the restitution process and provide specialised advice on recovering Sri Lankan cultural property held abroad.

In 2023, Sri Lanka took steps to officially recover six artefacts from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, including Lewke Disava’s cannon, two large guns, two kastane swords and a knife with scabbards.