Dear ICOM Canada members,
This past year was a very productive and successful one for ICOM Canada and its members. Of particularly interest to all of us this year was the ICOM discussion on the proposed new museum definition, with ICOM Canada playing an important role, engaging members and working in closer collaboration with colleagues across the globe to address this fundamental matter central to understanding our work.
On behalf of the ICOM Canada Executive, I am pleased to highlight some of our accomplishments and work in 2019. It was a very busy year! In April we hosted our Annual General Meeting during the Canadian Museums Association conference in Toronto. At our AGM we welcomed two new Board members to the team: Leah Best (Royal BC Museum) and Dr. Karine Duhamel (Canadian Museum for Human Rights).
The Board has worked diligently in 2019 to launch our new website (www.icomcanada.org), re-energize our member communications, and prepare for the ICOM General Conference in Kyoto this past September. ICOM Canada joined ICOM Europe, ICOM France, ICOM Germany and several other committees in recommending the postponement of the vote on the museum definition in order to ensure that a functional definition results and we look forward to continued discussion about the proposed definition.
At the invitation of ICOM, ICOM Canada presented in Kyoto on the Canadian experience on the Kyoto conference panel on Decolonization and Restitution. You can read Michèle Rivet’s presentation here.
ICOM Canada also joined ICOM US and ICOM LAC (Latin America/Caribbean) for the Americas Breakfast Roundtable in Kyoto, connecting with colleagues for a professional exchange and to discuss future collaboration along hemispheric lines.
The first edition of this e-newsletter explored the theme of Cultural Diplomacy with articles highlighting how Canadian museum professionals conduct global engagement activities that create mutual understanding and trust between nations, organizations and peoples through the work of museums, and with the annual ICOM Canada International Achievement Award. I invite you to share our e-newsletter with your colleagues across Canada and encourage them to subscribe, become ICOM members, and consider submitting content to future issues. You can subscribe to future editions of our e-newsletter here.
In April, ICOM Canada presented the International Achievement Award to Catherine C. Cole, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Association of Museums. Undertaking joint projects with ICOM CAMOC (Collections and Activities of Museums of Cities), and ICOM ICR (Regional Museums), as well as serving on various ICOM committees, Ms. Cole set an excellent example of a Canadian museum professional with an impact on museology through international outreach and cultural diplomacy.
ICOM Canada again offered the Travel Bursary Program to help emerging museum professionals build connections and experience. This annual bursary supports participation in ICOM international committee conferences or the triennial ICOM conference. This year’s recipient was Sophie Yamauchi (Queen’s University) who attended the ICOM General Conference in Kyoto, Japan.
It is now time to renew your memberships. You will have received an email with renewal information, or can find more information here.
When renewing your membership, please encourage your institution and fellow staff and colleagues to join the ICOM family. By spreading the word on the value of an ICOM Canada membership, you’ll help increase our country’s representation on the world stage.
On behalf of the ICOM Canada Executive Board, I wish you all the best in 2020!
Marie Lalonde
President, ICOM Canada.