Toledo Museum of Art

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PROGRAM: Returning the Shield of Magdala: A Conversation on Heritage and History

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Program Details

Returning the Shield of Magdala: A Conversation on Heritage and History

October 26, 2024 | 2:00–5:00p.m. | Great Gallery

Panel: 2:00–3:00p.m.

Reception: 3:00–5:00p.m.

In celebration of the Toledo Museum of Art's exhibition Ethiopia at the Crossroads, the Royal Ethiopian Trust has honored TMA as the sole U.S. venue for the display of the Shield of Magdala—an artifact of immense significance, looted following the Battle of Magdala during the 1868 British Expedition to Abyssinia. On view in Toledo for three weeks only, the shield will return to Ethiopia later this month for the first time in over 150 years, where it will be displayed at the National Museum of Ethiopia.

To mark this historic occasion, we invite you to a panel discussion featuring His Imperial Highness Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie—grandson of Emperor Haile Selassie I—and Ethiopian scholar Alula Pankhurst, moderated by Sophie Ong, Assistant Director of Strategic Initiatives at TMA. The conversation will explore how objects like the Shield of Magdala, along with others showcased in Ethiopia at the Crossroads such as Jacob Epstein's portrait of Emperor Haile Selassie I, serve as powerful symbols of history, shaping collective memory and cultural identity.

Join us in a thought-provoking discussion on heritage, restitution, and the future of cultural preservation through collaboration.