School of Law (UCA), Clermont-Ferrand,
30 June –11 July 2025


Cultural heritage is constantly shaped by time, law, and global challenges. Whether through war, climate change, digital transformations, or restitution claims, heritage is at the heart of major legal and ethical debates. How should law respond to these evolving threats? What role do international, European, and national legal frameworks play in protecting history, identity, and cultural property?

This summer school will explore the legal mechanisms that safeguard cultural heritage, analyzing key issues such as memory laws, restitution of looted artifacts, illicit trafficking, and urban heritage protection. We will also examine how legal tools interact with emerging challenges—from climate-driven destruction of monuments to AI and 3D technology in conservation.

Through lectures, case studies, interactive workshops, and field visits, participants will engage with legal scholars, historians, and heritage professionals. They will investigate how law can balance conservation, technological innovation, and global justice in the protection of cultural heritage.
What legal responses exist to safeguard heritage against the challenges of time? How can we adapt laws to evolving cultural, environmental, and digital landscapes? Join us to explore these pressing questions and build a vision for the future of cultural heritage law.
 
Monday, June 30 - Opening session
09:30 - 12:30 : Introduction: Cultural Heritage as History and Identity: Legal Protection from National to International Levels

14:00 - 16.00 : Presentation of case studies simulation
Illicit Trafficking and the Restitution of Stolen Artworks
Colonial artifacts and restitution debates (Benin Bronzes, Elgin Marbles)
Nazi-looted art and legal restitution mechanisms (Gurlitt collection, Klimt paintings)…
 
Tuesday, July 1 - The international restitution of Cultural Property in the 19th and 20th Centuries
09:00 - 12:00 : Lecture: The Legal and Political Frameworks of Cultural Property Restitution: From Colonial Looting to WWII Art Theft
 
Wednesday, July 2 - Field Trip: Temple of Mercury & AI in Heritage Conservation
09:00 - 12:30 : Excursion to the Temple of Mercury (Puy de Dôme)
Preservation challenges due to natural erosion and climate change

12:30 - 14:00 : Lunch Break in the Puy de Dôme area

14:00 - 16:00 : AI and Digital Tools for Heritage Conservation
How AI is Transforming Cultural Heritage Protection and Archaeological Research
Using AI for Predictive Analysis and Restoration of Cultural Sites
 
Thursday, July 3 - International and European Legal Frameworks for Cultural Heritage Protection
09:00 : 12:00 : Lecture: International and European Legal Instruments for Cultural Heritage Protection: A Comparative Overview
 
Friday, July 4 - Secret Clermont-Ferrand & Montferrand: Roman Ruins, Medieval Streets, and Hidden Heritage
9:00 - 15:00 : Step back in time to uncover the hidden layers of Clermont-Ferrand and Montferrand!
From the forgotten Roman fortifications of the Mur des Sarrasins to the underground remains of the ancient forum, this guided tour will reveal the secrets of the city's past. Walk through narrow medieval streets, admire the volcanic-stone Gothic cathedral, and explore Montferrand, a once-independent medieval town with its own legal system. Along the way, discover how archaeology, urban development, and heritage law intersect to protect and showcase this rich cultural history.
Roman Heritage & Archaeological Sites
Walk along the Mur des Sarrasins, part of the late Roman fortifications (3rd-4th c.).
Visit Place de Jaude, where the ancient Roman forum and administrative center once stood.
Explore this 12th-century Romanesque Basilica (UNESCO), part of the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela; Visit nearby excavations showing Roman & medieval remains beneath the city.
Medieval Clermont & Its Hidden Heritage
Discover the Gothic cathedral (13th-19th c.), built entirely in volcanic stone.
Explore the medieval district with its narrow alleys, Renaissance mansions, and old fortifications.
Medieval Montferrand & Its Legal History
Founded in the 12th century, Montferrand was once a rival town to Clermont, with its own legal and administrative system; well-preserved medieval streets, featuring half-timbered houses and Renaissance townhouses.
 
Monday, July 7 - Intangible Cultural Heritage and Urban Popular Music
09:00 - 12:00 : Lecture: Urban Popular Music and Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage (Colleagues from the University of Ioannina)

14:00 - 16:30 : Workshop How to Preserve Intangible Heritage in Contemporary Society?
 
Tuesday, July 8 - Climate Change and Cultural Heritage Conservation
09:00 - 12:00 : Lecture: Climate Change and the Legal Protection of Cultural Heritage: An Urgent Challenge
 
Wednesday, July 9 - Field Trip: Exploring Regional Heritage
09:00 - 17:00 : Excursion to Gergovia and Corent
Morning: Gergovia, the site of the Gallic oppidum and the battle against Julius Caesar
Afternoon: Corent, an important archaeological site of a Gallo-Roman settlement
 
Thursday, July 10 - Museums and Heritage Management
09:00 - 12:00 : Lecture: The Role of Museums in Safeguarding Cultural Heritage: Legal and Ethical Considerations
 
Friday, July 11 – Student’s presentations and closing ceremony
09:00 - 12:30 : Practical Simulations by Students