[1/4] People view colonial-era artefacts that have been returned from the Netherlands, at the main Museum in Colombo, Sri Lanka December 5, 2023. Sri Lanka asked the Netherlands to return the artefacts after the Dutch government approved the restitution of historic objects in 2021. The artefacts were taken in 1765 from Kandy, the last kingdom of ancient Sri Lanka, when the Dutch besieged the palace, a statement from the Netherlands embassy said. Sri Lanka is grateful to the government and the people of the Netherlands for returning the artefacts, said Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister Vidura Wickramanayake. The Netherlands returned over 300 artefacts to Indonesia earlier this year, according to its government.

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Persons: Dinuka, Vidura Wickramanayake, Dewi Van de Weerd, Lord Elgin, Uditha, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Cultural Affairs, National Museum, Sri, International Cultural Cooperation, British Museum, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Netherlands, Colombo, Sri Lanka, Kandy, Great Britain, Indonesia, Britain, Greece, Elgin, Athens, Ottoman