The Director of the Commission will be participating in the conference on the

“Restitution of Confiscated Works of Art: A Wish or Reality?” from October 24 through 26, 2007.

Mr. Lucien Kalfon is invited as a contributor to the proceedings and will give a talk on the situation of confiscated works of art in France and the difficult question of compensation by the CIVS for the looting of cultural property.

This particular mission, like the Commission’s others, forms part of its program of various activities aimed at raising awareness abroad of the existence and purpose of the Commission.

It will also enable an appraisal of legal and political developments in matters of compensation and restitution outside of France.

Proceedings will unfold as follows:

Wednesday, October 24:

• Works of art and their destiny.
• The correction of injustice.

Thursday, October 25:

• The past, the present and the future of looted works of art, libraries and musical instruments: research into provenance.
• Is it still possible in our time to find stolen works of art?

Friday, October 26:

• Returning lost works of art.
• The first fragments in the mosaic: reconstituting the archives.