In a landmark development for the protection of cultural heritage, Türkiye received its first official repatriation of cultural artifacts from Canada on March 30. The items returned included seven manuscript pages, two rare printed work pages and two modern calligraphy pieces.
The ceremony took place at the Canadian Conservation Institute in Ottawa, where Birol Inceciköz, director general of cultural heritage and museums under Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, formally received the artifacts from Canadian authorities.
Announcing the milestone on social media, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy hailed the return as both a national victory and an international precedent.
"We are safeguarding our heritage and returning the entrusted legacies of history to their birthplace,” Ersoy wrote. "Last night, we completed another repatriation, the first official return from Canada to Türkiye. We received seven manuscript pages, two rare printed work pages and two modern calligraphy pieces dating from the 17th to the 19th centuries. The process, initiated by the Canada Border Services Agency, was conducted with meticulous care, culminating in a successful legal and scientific effort. With the decision of the Federal Court of Canada, these works will now return to their homeland. This repatriation sets a strong international precedent. We trace every piece illegally removed from our lands and reclaim them one by one.”
Ersoy thanked the teams involved, including the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums, the Manuscripts Institution of Türkiye, the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts and the Turkish Embassy in Ottawa.
Artifacts, their significance
The returned items consist of seven manuscript pages separated from different codices, two rare printed work pages and two modern calligraphy pieces. Dating from the 17th to 19th centuries, the manuscripts contain texts in Arabic and Ottoman Turkish covering Islamic jurisprudence, Sufism, history and literature. Analysis revealed that some pages had been removed from the original bindings and modern miniatures were added later. While these interventions were deemed commercial and not authentic, the items retained their status as cultural heritage.
Journey to repatriation
The process began in January 2024, when the artifacts were intercepted by the Canada Border Services Agency as they were being transported from Istanbul to Vancouver. After the case was referred to the Canadian Ministry of Heritage, official communication with Türkiye initiated the technical and legal proceedings. Scientific reports and legal documents presented by Türkiye led the Canadian Federal Court to rule that the artifacts are Turkish cultural property under national law (Law No. 2863), authorizing their return.
Observers note that the repatriation not only restores Türkiye’s cultural property but also highlights the progress of international cooperation in protecting cultural heritage, in line with the 1970 UNESCO Convention.