9.00–17.00 Excursion to Tampere, Vapriikki, and aDNA-exhibition. Hosted by
OR
9.45–17.00 Excursion in Turku
18.00–19.30 Reception,
Day 1: Regulatory Frameworks and Governance of Human Remains:
Legislation, Policies, Protocols, Guidelines and Data Management
The first day explores the legal and institutional frameworks and guidelines that shape how human remains are excavated, curated, researched, and managed in collections. These frameworks vary considerably between countries and institutions, influencing the formation of collections, research possibilities, data management practices, and opportunities for international collaboration. Presentations will examine national legislation, institutional policies, practical protocols, and data management as well as case studies from museums, universities, and heritage organisations. The aim is to compare current situations in different countries, highlight challenges and good practices, and discuss how cross-border collaboration could support more coherent and ethically responsible governance of human remains.
8.30–9.00 On-site check-in
9.00–9.15 Welcome
9.15–10.00 Keynote presentation:
Top down or bottom up? Political developments and expert and civil involvement in the creation of rules and regulations for the care of human remains in German institutions
Sarah Fründt, German Lost Art Foundation / Expert Network on the Care of Human Remains
10.00–10.30 Break
10.30–10.50 Swedish legislation and guidance documents for human remains
Kicki Eldh, Swedish National Heritage Board
10.50–11.10 Human remains in Denmark: Law, practice, and ethics
Dorthe Dangvard Pedersen, Syddansk Universitet
11.10–11.30 From repatriation to the development of a policy on the management of human remains in museum collections. Example from a regional museum in Sweden/Sápmi
Jans Heinerud, Museum of Västerbotten
11.30–11.50 Guidelines for the Display of Human Remains at the Museum of Cultural History, Uio, Norway
Pia Kristina Edqvist, Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo
11.50–12.00 Discussion
12.00–13.00 Lunch
13.00–13.20 Display, keep or bury — A hospital museum’s journey in creating guidelines for dealing with human remains
Ulla Ahlmén–Laiho, Turku University Hospital
13.20–13.40 Creating and implementing practices for managing human remains in a small museum: Case studies from the archaeological collection of Åland Museum
Veronica Lindholm, Government of Åland
13.40–14.00 Management of Sámi human remains – balancing historical injustices, present-day needs, and future concerns
Stine Barlindhaug, Norwegian Sámi Parliament, Sami Cultural Heritage section
14.00–14.20 Caring for the unknown and unrelated
Adriana Aurelius, Sámi Parliament, Sweden
14.20–14.40 The agreement between the Sámi Parliament and the University of Oslo – a necessary tool for carrying out repatriation processes
Ingeborg Larssen, Sámi Parliament, Norway
14.40–15.00 Discussion
15.00–15.30 Break
15.30–16.30 Panel & Discussion
16.45–18.00 Visit to the Chapel of Holy Spirit,
19.00– Conference dinner,
Day 2: Ethics in Action: Practices, Ownership, Repatriation, Dissemination and Public Engagement
The second day focuses on how ethical guidelines and principles are translated into everyday professional practice. While legislation and institutional policies provide an important framework, questions of ethics, respect, and responsibility are often negotiated in concrete situations at the project level and by individual experts, for example in research, curation, display, repatriation processes, and communication with the public.
This theme presents critical reflections on what ethics means in practice and how ethical responsibility is understood, interpreted, and implemented by different actors and institutions. It highlights the diverse ways in which ethical considerations shape professional decisions and interactions surrounding human remains. The aim is to explore how more reflexive, respectful, and socially responsible approaches to human remains can be fostered—both within institutions and in the work of individual experts—also in dialogue with wider society.
8.45–9.15 On-site check-in
9.15–10.00 Keynote presentation:
Repatriating ancestors to Masa Verde
Eero Ehanti, The National Museum of Finland
10.00–10.30 Break
10.30–10.50 Agency in the rematriation of ancestors from Sāmoa
Ruby Satele Asiata, University of Vienna
10.50–11.10 Ethics in conversation: The Sámi-German cooperative mapping of Human Remains attributed to 19th century Norwegian archaeologist Andreas Georg Nordvi in German collections
Maximilian Kiehne, Andreas Winkelmann, Torgeir Nordkild, Institute of Anatomy, Brandenburg Medical School - Theodor Fontane; Norwegian Sámi Parliament / Samediggi
11.10–11.30 Shifting perspectives. Museum visitors’ opinions on exhibitions of archaeological human remains
Nicole Crescenzi, IMT School (Scuola Alti Studi Lucca)
11.30–11.50 Unwrapping colonial legacies: Navigating the ethical challenges of displaying mummified Egyptians
Abeer Elany, University of Aberdeen
11.50–12.00 Discussion
12.00–13.00 Lunch
13.00–13.20 From legislation to practice: Processes for archaeological human remains in Finland – The case of Turku Cathedral
Miikka Kumpulainen, Finnish Heritage Agency
13.20–13.40 Donating bones: Ethics and wishes for their future use
Heli Maijanen, University of Oulu
13.40–14.00 Ethical Decision Making in Uncertain Times
Ruth Nugent, University of Liverpool
14.00–14.20 Looking to the future: Human remains and emerging ethical challenges – a report from the project Ethical Entanglements
Liv Nilsson Stutz, Linnaeus University
14.20–14.30 Discussion
14.30–15.00 Break
15.00–16.00 Panel & discussion
16.00–16.15 Next meeting and farewell