Dubai, UAE: Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), in close collaboration with the UAE chapter of the International Council of Museums (ICOM-UAE), have announced the organisation of the ICOM 2024 International Symposium as part of the preparations for the 27th ICOM General Conference: ICOM Dubai 2025. Held for the first time in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA), the event is hosted by the emirate under the theme ‘The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities’, reflecting Dubai’s position on the global cultural map.

The symposium will be hosted at the Etihad Museum on 12 November and will focus on three interconnected dimensions of the main theme: Intangible Heritage, Youth Power, and New Technologies. It will explore ways for museums to navigate the rapid changes and transformations that the world is experiencing, offering opportunities for dialogue and intellectual exchange among executive council members and local and international museum experts.

The symposium preceding ICOM Dubai 2025 will feature multiple keynote speeches and sessions to spark discussions and exchanges. Edward Rodley, Co-Founder & Principal of The Experience Alchemists (TEA), will initiate discourse on ‘New Technologies,’ highlighting how technologies can help or hinder museums in reaching audiences.

Following the keynote speech, the session will feature presentations by Marjan Faraidooni, Chief Education & Culture & Chief HR Officer for Expo City Dubai; Dr Simon Tanner, Professor of Digital Cultural Heritage at King's College London; and Pablo Guayasamín Madriñán, Programme Coordinator in the Office of the Assistant Director-General for Culture at UNESCO. They will reflect on the choices made by museums to adopt technologies to cater to the evolving needs of their communities and changing environments. The presentations will highlight innovative ways of using technologies for a greater connection with audiences while remaining true to authentic cultural expressions.

The symposium will welcome His Excellency Dr. Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, Cultural Advisor to the UAE President and Chancellor of the UAE Universityto lead a powerful piece on the significance of safeguarding intangible heritage. Joining the talks will be His Excellency Dr Abdulaziz Abdulrahman Almusallam, Chairman of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage and Alia Yunis, Visiting Scholar, Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, DC (AGSIW) and Visiting Associate Professor of Film & Heritage Studies, NYUAD. Their discussions will revolve around safeguarding and transmitting communities’ heritage and memory within an ever-changing landscape of events.

Sheikh Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi, Emirati columnist and researcher and Founder of Barjeel Art Foundation, will open discussions on Youth Power, advocating for youth empowerment in shaping the museums of tomorrow. In addition, an interactive panel will invite art curator, Munira Al Sayegh, Founder of Dirwaza Curatorial Lab and artist, and artist and curator Osemudiamen Ekore, Co-Founder of Bootleg Griot to explore cultural trends and how these interrelate with communities.

To complement the main theme sessions, and for the first time in the history of ICOM, the symposium will host training workshops led by expert members of ICOM’s international committees, where participants will have the opportunity to learn more about museum-specific topics such as the importance of collection documentation, the key role of local communities in safeguarding and promoting intangible heritage, and a session on emergency planning for museums, diving into preparedness for potential disasters, emergency responses and transitioning to recovery.

Founded in 1946 under the umbrella of the United Nations, ICOM is a global organisation specialised in the field of museums, their development and coordination. Its membership includes more than 50,000 specialists from nearly 120 countries, and nearly 20,000 museums around the world. In April 2021, ICOM-UAE, in cooperation with Dubai Culture, Dubai Municipality, and Dubai Tourism, submitted the UAE’s bid to host the ICOM General Conference 2025 in Dubai. Recognising the UAE’s leadership and Dubai’s prominent role in heritage preservation, along with its forward-thinking approach to developing its creative economy, ICOM elected Dubai from a competitive list of candidates to host the conference.