This study is dedicated to the postcolonial preservation of cultural heritage and restitution policies within the framework of the Charter for African Cultural Renaissance as a Pan-African instrument of international law. The author – holder of the UNESCO Chair in International Relations and vice president of the curatorium of the African Institute of International Law (AIIL) – analyses the multifaceted significance of the Charter as well as the role of the African Union, UNESCO and Western museums regarding specifically the return of cultural goods from colonial contexts. The work further illustrates how the international discourse is shifting towards an active support for reconciliation and return processes.