In just a couple of weeks, museums and museum visitors worldwide will celebrate International Museum Day (IMD)! Founded in 1977 by ICOM as an inclusive and participatory event to highlight the importance of museums as institutions serving society and its development, IMD is traditionally celebrated on or around 18 May. In 2016, 35,000+ museums in some 145 countries participated in IMD! Are you ready to participate? You still have time to plan a special event or programme for International Museum Day! Don’t hesitate to download our communication kit for museums, add your activity to our interactive map and watch our special IMD youtube playlist. We wish you all a happy International Museum Day!
ICOM PARTICIPATES IN THE FIRST G7 MINISTERIAL MEETING ON CULTURE IN FLORENCE
On 30 and 31 March, Florence hosted the first ever G7 of Culture. For the first time, the Ministers of Culture of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK and the USA, together with the European Commissioner responsible for culture and UNESCO’s Director General, met in Florence to discuss the distinctive role of culture as an instrument for dialogue among peoples as well as the importance of joint action to strengthen the safeguarding of cultural heritage. A select number of organisations were invited to join the meeting: the Council of Europe, ICOM, ICCROM, INTERPOL and UNIDROIT. ICOM was officially invited to take part in the meeting to contribute as expert observer in cultural property protection and was represented by Vice President, Alberto Garlandini, and Director of Programes and Partnerships, France Desmarais.
MEET US AT THE AMERICAN ALLIANCE OF MUSEUMS ANNUAL MEETING & MUSEUMEXPO 2017!
The AAM Annual Meeting & Museum Expo is two weeks away! The theme of this year's conference is "Gateways for Understanding: Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion in Museums", highlighting the role of museums as pillars of healthy communities and ideal places to enhance understanding. On Monday, 8 May, meet up with our colleagues from ICOM-US at their Annual Luncheon and Business Meeting and learn about ICOM-US updates and other future programmes to look forward to. On this occasion, Michael Conforti will deliver an inspiring speech focusing on “A Utopian Dream: Stewardship of Collections and the Freer Circulation of Cultural Artifacts". Furthermore, four museum professionals, members of the ICOM's International Committee for Exhibitions and Exchange (ICEE), will stimulate discussion by sharing relevant examples of best practices and innovation in the traveling exhibition field on Tuesday, 9 May.
And of course, come meet us at booth #2243 in Saint Louis and discover the new issue of Museum International.
FOCUS TOOL BOX
A new management tool for ICOM members!
In order to simplify membership management and increase the information exchange between its members, ICOM is launching a new management tool for the entire network.
Fluidity, effectiveness and simplicity are the key to this project focused on improving the individual work in the organization.
Committees will be able to test this new tool on 8 June during the ICOM Annual Meetings in Paris.
Photo credit: “Computer Harddisk” by Ben Stassen is licensed under CC BY 2.0
THE NEW ISSUE OF MUSEUM INTERNATIONAL IS OUT!
The latest issue of Museum International, entitled The Role of Museums in a Changing Society, has just been published. You can access it online here for free with your ICOMMUNITY login and password. This free online access will expire a month from now, so be sure to take advantage of the offer while it lasts. To receive the print edition, members can take out a print subscription at a discounted rate here.
This issue of Museum International examines the museum’s evolving role in the face of unprecedented societal change. Authors discuss how the museum’s social role is being redefined as museums and cultural institutions seek to address crucial issues such as human rights, social equality and justice, and reconciliation by involving the surrounding communities through a variety of outreach activities.
Rethinking the role of museum professionals in the context of current advances in research, field experience and technology has become a vital step in that direction. Articles present examples from Québec, the US and Cuba, Zimbabwe, Kenya, South Africa and the Ukraine, among others.
The content reflects the ever-increasing need for museums to play an active part in fostering social change around the world.
IN BRIEF
The ICMS workshop “Risk management and HR management” is being held at POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, in Warsaw, Poland, until 26 Avril 2017. ICOM President Suay Aksoy is among the conference participants. http://icms.icom.museum/
The European Museum of the Year Award 2017 will celebrate its 40th anniversary in Zagreb, Croatia, from 3 to 6 May, 2017. The cooperation between ICOM and the European Museum Forum has been continuing and is in line with the strategic plans of both organisations. http://www.emya2017.eu/
UMAC: 9th meeting. “Reflecting on our University Museums”, May 2017, Guadalajara, Mexico. University museums should ask themselves about their role in a globalised world: do they respond to the interests of 21st century society? Are they engaged with current issues? Are they regarded as learning and entertainment centres or as agents of social change? In this 9th meeting on “Reflecting on our University Museums”, we will also address the topic of “Controversial Museums and Stories: Speaking the Unspeakable in the Museum”, which ICOM proposed for this year’s International Museum Day. http://museosuniversitarios.simuseo.net/
ICOM NEWS ON THE MOVE
ICOM News is transitioning to a new digital format. In the meantime, we are featuring ICOM News articles on our website, and every month here in the newsletter.
