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📖 We are pleased to announce the publication of the Museum Definition Handbook: Words Inspiring Action, an ICOM Define publication by Bruno Brulon Soares and Lauran Bonilla-Merchav. 🔍 The new museum definition, adopted by ICOM in 2022, is a valuable professional tool used by museum workers, policymakers and communities. The Museum Definition Handbook addresses and analyses each term that appears within the definition, building on reflections surrounding their meanings and significances that emerged during the participatory ICOM Define process. 🔗The publication is available in ICOM’s three official languages via the link in bio

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With an autumn 2025 exhibition season whose title bluntly asks Can We Stop Killing Each Other?, the Sainsbury Centre (UK) is confronting politically explosive issues of migration, displacement, human violence and ‘othering’ in the past and present – and asking how arts and culture can either foster empathy or fuel violence. 💡 #ICOMVoices is an editorial space on the ICOM website that allows #museum and heritage professionals and researchers to share their experiences and reflections. 👉 Read the full ICOM Voices at icom.museum and via the link in bio

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The 27th ICOM General Conference in Dubai hosted a dedicated ICOM Illicit Trafficking Panel, spotlighting global efforts to fight the illicit trafficking of cultural property with the support of innovative digital tools. Introduced by ICOM Director General Medea S. Ekner, the session featured key contributions from INTERPOL’s Tiziano Coiro on the ID-Art application; UNESCO’s Krista Pikkat on the Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural Objects; and UNIDROIT’s Marina Schneider, who underscored the essential role of due diligence in protecting cultural heritage. The programme also included a presentation from the Dubai Police, represented by Ahmed Khalifa Al Mohairi, offering regional perspectives and local innovations in safeguarding cultural property. The panel was moderated by Sophie Delepierre, ICOM Head of Heritage Protection. The panel underscored the urgent need for stronger international cooperation, smarter technology, and shared responsibility in protecting the world’s cultural heritage, reinforcing ICOM’s commitment to supporting more secure, transparent, and responsible museum and heritage practices. #ICOM #UNESCO #INTERPOL #UNIDROIT #icomdubai2025 #culture #culturalheritage

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During the 40th General Assembly at the 27th ICOM General Conference in Dubai, ICOM awarded honorary membership to three esteemed members in recognition of their extraordinary contributions to the museum community as ICOM members, with achievements that demonstrate both excellence and international recognition. The honorary memberships session was presented by outgoing ICOM Vice-Presidents Inkyung Chang (ICOM South Korea) and Terry Simioti Niambe (ICOM Zambia). The first honorary membership was awarded posthumously to Madame Christine Boël, former President of the ICOM Foundation, who passed away in July 2025. In honour of her work, Alberto Garlandini, President of the ICOM Foundation, accepted the award on behalf of Boël’s family. The second honorary membership was awarded to Beatriz Espinoza, a prominent figure in museology and heritage with a groundbreaking legacy in Latin America and the Caribbean. The third honorary membership was presented to ICOM’s outgoing President Emma Nardi, in recognition of her leadership and contributions to ICOM over nearly two decades. More information on icom.museum

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During the 27th ICOM General Conference in Dubai, In a dedicated dialogue with with Krista Pikkat, Director for Culture and Emergencies at UNESCO, ICOM advanced discussions on the role of artificial intelligence in museums and cultural heritage. Together, ICOM and UNESCO announced the new Global Initiative on Artificial Intelligence and Museums, reflecting the organisations’ shared commitment to ensuring that AI technologies support museums ethically, inclusively and sustainably. The initiative will focus on three core areas: Mapping and connecting global AI initiatives within the museum sector; Promoting ethical guidance aligned with UNESCO’s 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, the ICOM Code of Ethics, and the 2015 UNESCO Recommendation on Museums; Building professional capacity through dialogue, peer learning, policy guidance and practical resources.

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The 27th ICOM General Conference in Dubai featured a dedicated “ICOM for Peace” session. Moderated by Kaja Širok (ICOM Executive Board), the session brought together contributions from President Emma Nardi (2022–2025 mandate), Jody Steiger (ICOM Executive Board), Erik Somers (Advisory Board Member, INMP), Maria Gaitán (National Centre for Historical Memory, Colombia), Amina Krvavac (Director, War Childhood Museum, Bosnia and Herzegovina), and included a special message from Óscar Arias Sánchez, former President of Costa Rica and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. The “ICOM for Peace” session highlighted ICOM’s commitment to fostering peace and building a better future in which museums hold a healing power, underscoring the importance of the newly launched initiative and the lived experiences shared by the speakers.

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One of the most anticipated sessions at the 27th ICOM General Conference in Dubai was the roundtable on the Revision of the ICOM Code of Ethics. Moderated by Hillary Carty OBE, the session brought together Léontine Meijer-van Mensch (Chair of ETHCOM and Member of the Working Group, ICOM Germany), Sally Yerkovich (Head of the ICOM Code of Ethics Revision, ICOM US), Bruno Brulon Soares (Working Group Member, ICOM Brazil), Julie Higashi (Working Group Member, ICOM Japan), Dr Kathrin Pabst (Working Group Member, ICOM Norway) and Luisa De Peña Díaz (External Expert to ETHCOM and Working Group Member, ICOM Dominican Republic). The panel reflected on the Working Group’s journey since 2020, beginning with the decision by the ICOM Standing Committee on Ethics (ETHCOM) to revisit and renew the Code of Ethics. The session included an open Q&A, giving participants the opportunity to ask questions, share insights and contribute feedback directly to the evolving process. The revised ICOM Code of Ethics will be presented for vote at the ICOM Annual Meeting in June 2026.

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