"ICOM Dubai 2025" It concludes the activities of its historical version
Dubai, 14 November / WAM / Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, “may God protect him,” the twenty-seventh General Conference of the International Council of Museums (ICOM Dubai 2025) concluded the activities of its historic edition, which Dubai hosted for the first time in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region, under the slogan “The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Societies,” in the presence of more than 4,500 participants from museum experts and cultural leaders. And decision makers from around the world. This reflects Dubai’s leadership and status as a global center for culture, an incubator for creativity and a forum for talent.
The last day of the conference witnessed the participation of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairwoman of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, in a dialogue session entitled “Cultural Diplomacy with an Emirati Vision: Bridges of Communication and Dialogue”, in which Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of State, participated, and was moderated by Mina Al Oraibi, Editor-in-Chief of The National newspaper.
The conference program included a session on “The Impact of Narrative, Legacy, and Youth,” in which Her Excellency Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation and CEO of the Dubai Expo City Authority participated, and was moderated by Dubai Abulhoul, founder and CEO of the Fikr Foundation, during which Her Excellency pointed out the importance of the role of museums and cultural institutions in strengthening the power of cultural diplomacy, as they are vital platforms for interaction, promoting debate, and safe spaces to explore diverse viewpoints and discuss complex issues.
Her Excellency highlighted the contribution of major cultural events such as Expo 2020 Dubai and ICOM Dubai 2025, and local cultural institutions in enhancing mutual understanding between peoples.
Her Excellency pointed out the need to focus on empowering young people and activating their participation in cultural institutions and events, and explained that Expo 2020 Dubai was designed with great professionalism to give every country, regardless of its resources, a platform to tell its unique story, and enhance real participation, as this approach contributed to presenting a bright image of the UAE as an incubator that brings together diverse viewpoints from all over the world.
On the other hand, His Excellency Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, Cultural Advisor to His Highness the President of the State, Supreme President of UAE University, delivered a keynote speech in which he stressed that the event represents a platform for exchanging ideas and a space to renew the sense of common mission. He said: “Museums face challenges in preserving the essence of human creativity and interacting with its continuous transformation. We must not forget that museums are not just observers of change, but rather an active part of it. They are a mirror of the communities they serve, reflect our history, ask questions about our present, and open horizons of imagination towards our future. They are also living institutions, spaces for memory, dialogue and discovery, and they are the places where the past is consolidated and the energy of the future is released.”
He added: “The UAE has long realized that culture is the soul of the nation. Based on the vision of our wise leadership, we have built a system that ensures that our museums remain receptacles of memory and platforms for innovation, as the country’s laws stipulate the preservation of tangible and intangible heritage. The “Cultural Agenda 2031” and the “National Strategy for Cultural and Creative Industries” also emphasize the role of museums in consolidating the national identity and promoting the creative economy. These efforts extend to the “National Policy for the Preservation of Modern Architectural Heritage,” while The Ministry of Culture’s digital initiatives contribute to supporting transparency, innovation, and activating community participation. This system has established an integrated cultural system that combines loyalty to the past and openness to the future.”
In his speech, His Excellency pointed out that “the future of museums cannot be built in isolation from others, but must be built in partnership.” He continued: “Tomorrow’s museums represent a network of cooperation, welcoming curators, teachers, scholars, artists, and community leaders.” They are spaces that bring generations and cultures closer together, and enhance shared responsibility. “Museums thus become laboratories of innovation, where the past inspires innovation, and culture becomes a force for social cohesion and sustainable development.”
In turn, His Excellency Mohammed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, pointed out in his speech that when museums work to serve their communities, they go beyond their status as institutions to become levers of change, engines of opportunity, bridges of human communication, and enablers for future generations. He said: “In the Emirates, we believe in the value of museums and their growing role, and we have worked to build a comprehensive, ambitious and authentic museum system, based on our conviction that museums are not just repositories of collectibles, but rather a vital infrastructure for culture, deep understanding and a sense of belonging. Museums always remind us that identity and innovation are not opposites, but rather grow together. Despite the challenges facing cultural investments around the world, the Emirates continues to invest in this field, because of its belief that heritage, knowledge and creativity are essential elements for a prosperous future.”
He added: “Cultural institutions across the Emirates are working to establish a vibrant system that reflects our shared commitment to learning and growth. Over the past decade, the pace of cultural development in Abu Dhabi has accelerated, as we have witnessed great progress in museum projects, including the Zayed National Museum, the Natural History Museum in Abu Dhabi and the Louvre Abu Dhabi, in addition to the reopening of Qasr al-Hosn and the Al Ain Museum.” He pointed out that culture represents the true bridge that brings people together, and that cultural institutions make us better and help us understand each other in a global world. It’s getting more complicated.
Architect Sumaya Vali, head of the South African research studio Counterspace, gave a keynote address entitled “Foundations: Towards a unified language of place, practice and possibilities.”
The closing ceremony of ICOM Dubai 2025 witnessed the announcement of the election of Antonio Rodriguez as the new President of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), Nasser Al Darmaki as Vice President of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), and Mohammed Saad Al Rumaihi, CEO of Qatar Museums, as President of the Arab Regional Organization of the International Council of Museums (ICOM).
It was also officially announced that the Dutch city of Rotterdam was chosen to host the 28th General Conference of the International Council of Museums (ICOM 2028), where Her Excellency Hala Badri, Director-General of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, and Chair of the Organizing Committee of ICOM Dubai 2025, handed over the ICOM banner to Maureen Mols, President of the Culture Authority in Rotterdam, and Caroline Prenosa, Chairman of the ICOM Netherlands Committee, and Director of the Rijksmuseum. Twenty” and factory museums.
The ceremony included honoring Kay Hall, Education and Community Outreach Officer at the Barbados Museum and History Society, and Jamie Brown, Research Fellow at the School of Art History at the University of St. Andrews, with the ICOM Sustainability Award, which was launched for the first time in Dubai, celebrating innovative initiatives and exemplary practices in support of sustainable development in the museum sector.
ICOM Dubai 2025 witnessed the holding of more than 100 discussion and dialogue sessions, advanced training courses and interactive workshops. The agenda of the last day included the organization of the session “Post-Conflict Museums: Creating Spaces for Healing”, in which both architect and archaeologist Dr. Gamini Wijesuriya, heritage management expert at the World Heritage Institute for Training and Research for the Asia-Pacific (WHITRAP), and Marian Pastor Roces, independent exhibition curator and executive director, participated. In (TAO) Management Company.
The program also included a discussion session entitled “Challenging the Ordinary: Developing Museums Again,” moderated by Dr. Peter Magee, Director of the Zayed National Museum, and with the participation of Gayanne Omerova, Executive Director of the Foundation for the Development of Arts and Culture of the Ministry of Culture – Uzbekistan, Mona Khaznadar, Advisor to the Ministry of Culture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mulenga Mbandu Kapwebwe, writer and social activist at the Women’s History Museum in Zambia, and Dr. Christian Greco, Director of the Egyptian Museum in Italy, while Lisa Sasaki, Deputy Under Secretary for Special Projects at the Smithsonian Institution, moderates the S. Weill Memorial Lecture, “Decisive Moments: Reflections on the Visitor Experience and Maintaining Public Trust.” The program included a training workshop presented by the artist Abdullah Lutfi, during which he sought to introduce participants to the basics of the arts and ways to employ them in designing museums.
On the other hand, “ICOM Dubai 2025” hosted on its third day the sessions of the “ICOM Germany” network for young professionals, in addition to a number of professional networking sessions with the participation of the Department of Antiquities and Museums in Ras Al Khaimah, the Department of Tourism and Antiquities in Umm Al Quwain, the Sharjah Museums Authority, the Africa Institute in Sharjah, and the Sharjah Arts Foundation, in addition to the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, and the Zayed National Museum, which provided sessions for the delegations. Participation is a platform for exchanging experiences, strengthening partnerships, and strengthening regional and international networks.
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