Abstract
This article explores the complex relationship between the appropriation of cultural heritage manifestations – such as cultural objects – and the preservation of a people’s identity, addressing the challenges posed both in periods of armed conflicts and in peacetime scenarios. It examines the historical evolution of international legal frameworks designed to protect cultural heritage, focusing on key instruments pertinent to the UNESCO legal regime and with emphasis to cultural objects. The paper highlights how the looting and the destruction of these assets during wartime, particularly during the World Wars, have left a lasting legacy of cultural loss. It also investigates the continuing challenges of protecting cultural heritage expressions in peacetime, where illicit trafficking and the illegal appropriation of cultural objects persist. Through this analysis, the article sheds light on the ethical and legal dilemmas surrounding restitution, emphasising the importance of recognising diverse cultural heritage expressions as fundamental aspects of identity and reparation. It concludes by addressing the role of international organisations such as UNESCO in fostering a global dialogue on cultural restitution, highlighting the need for a balanced approach to preserving both the physical and cultural integrity of heritage in an increasingly globalised world. The study maintains a primarily legal character and rests on a firm theoretical standpoint, based on the analysis of bibliography and international documents.