ICOM Museum International Commetee
published in the Digital Library of the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development – MONDIACULT 2025
M25-Technical-paper-Cultural-stakeholder-individual-AVICOM-rev
ICOM COMMS and ICOM AVICOM present the first webinar:
October 23, 2025, 6 pm CET / ZOOM online
Museums today are not only custodians of culture but also active agents in shaping public discourse online. Yet, they face increasing political pressures, censorship, and the rapid evolution of AI and digital platforms.
The webinar explores:
Speakers:
Diego Vaz Bevilaqua, PhD, Deputy Director of Cultural Heritage and Science Communication, Chair of ICOM Brazil
Ech-cherki Dahmali, PhD, Director of Telecom Museum, Morocco, Chair of ICOM Arab
Lic. Mayki Gorosito, Immediate Past Director of ESMA Memory Site Museum, Former Clandestine Centre for Detention, Torture and Extermination, Argentina
“Museological Ethics and the Digital: What Are We Doing for the Planed and Our Crowd?”: Daniel Pett, PhD, Director of Digital Strategy and Operations, Westminster School, UK
“Art, Learning and Empowerment for Climate Progress”: Saskia Randle, Senior Design and Curatorial Associate (digital presence), Climate Museum, New York
Moderators:
Lara Corona, PhD, Researcher; Director Rosas Museum (former UNESCO Global Geoparks), Italy
Sergio Manuel Rivera, Director of Public Relations and Marketing, MIDE Museo Interactivo de Economia, Mexico
Save the date and join us via Zoom:
Dear Member of AVICOM:
Due to circumstances beyond the control of AVICOM, we are extending the period that AVICOM members in good standing may submit their credentials for candidacy to the AVICOM Board. This will allow AVICOM members who did not receive the initial Call for Candidacy an opportunity to submit their application and credentials. Please note that if you have already submitted your application, you do not need to re-submit it. This extension period is only for people who have not previously submitted their application and credentials in the initial Call for Candidature.
We are arriving at the end of the term for the current members and officers of the AVICOM Board. The regular term for a Board member is three (3) years. The election and installation of the new Board will coincide with the AVICOM General Assembly to be held in Dubai in November.
There are nine (9) Board positions available: Chairperson (1), Vice- Chairperson (1), Secretary (1), Treasurer (1) and Ordinary (At-Large) Members (5). Those among you who wish to be a candidate to serve on the AVICOM Board are asked to submit, before 13 September, 2025, a completed candidature form as well as a biography of 10 lines (maximum length), a CV and a recent photo. You must also indicate which Board Position you wish to be considered for: Chairperson (1), Vice-Chairperson (1), Secretary (1), Treasurer (1) or Ordinary (At-Large) Member (5). Applications without a specific Board position identified will be invalid.
These applications will be collected and validated by the Election Officer.
Condition 1: The nominee must be a member of AVICOM in good standing at the time of their candidature and current in the payment of his or her ICOM membership dues for 2025.
Condition 2: The nominee must be willing and able to serve as a member of the AVICOM Board. The candidate must acknowledge that he or she will be responsible for all expenses, including travel, related to his or her position if elected. For planning purposes, you should assume physical attendance to at least two Board meetings per year. Typically, the June meeting is held in Paris in conjunction with the ICOM General Assembly and a Fall meeting is held in another city, usually in Europe. In addition, there may be other meetings, symposia and conferences that will require your attendance.
Condition 3: Existing Board Members who are serving their first term can be nominated and elected to one (1) additional term for a total of two (2) consecutive terms. A member of the Board may be subsequently elected as Chairperson for a maximum of two (2) additional term
Condition 4: The following individuals are ineligible for membership of the AVICOM Board:
We should also note that, according to the Internal Rules that govern AVICOM, no more than two Board Members may be from any one Country. If more than two individuals from any one country are nominated, only the two individuals with the greatest number of votes shall be eligible to serve. Also, if you are currently on the Board, you can only occupy the same position for two consecutive terms. If you are in this category, you must apply for a different position on the Board.
Bob Haroutunian bob@ppiconsulting.net
Election Officer for the election of the Board members of AVICOM for 2025- 2028
OPEN CALL FOR PROPOSALS
ICOM COMMS and AVICOM are planning a joint webinar series (English) for this fall on social media innovations and challenges for museums. Please send us your ideas for topics, speakers, discussions, workshops, and models.
RETHINKING MUSEUM COMMUNICATION IN THE DIGITAL AGE: POWER, PLATFORMS & POSSIBILITIES ON SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS
Organised by: ICOM COMMS, ICOM AVICOM
Location: Online (ZOOM)
Dates: Thursday 11th September, 2nd October, 16th October 2025
Times: to be determined
ABOUT THE WEBINAR SERIES
In an era defined by digital acceleration, political turbulence, and rapidly evolving AI technologies, museums are increasingly challenged to navigate a complex and shifting communications landscape. This webinar series—designed as a three-part online program—invites cultural professionals, researchers, digital creatives, educators, and policymakers to critically examine how museums operate, communicate and engage online, particularly on social media channels.
As digital communication becomes central to cultural participation, museums must adapt to new platforms, diverse audiences, and emerging tools. The series will explore how museums can build authentic digital relationships: from co-creating content with influencers and marginalised communities to negotiating political pressures, and from embracing ethical practices and synthetic media to cultivating inclusive and responsible digital communities.
WEBINAR 1: DIGITAL VOICES IN MUSEUM COMMUNICATION – INFLUENCERS, COMMUNITIES & ENGAGEMENT
Date: Thursday 11th September 2025
Explore strategies to build trust, participation, and cultural branding online. From co-creating content with communities to embracing emerging technologies, these sessions look ahead to responsible digital innovation in museums. Join us for a forward-thinking webinar that explores how museums can develop audiences, foster participation, and stay engaged in the digital age. This session will spotlight innovative engagement strategies, ranging from influencer partnerships to community co-creation. Attendees will gain practical insights into shaping digital identities, curating inclusive narratives, and adopting responsible digital innovation.
We invite contributions on topics such as:
WEBINAR 2: ARTIFICIAL IMAGINATION – USING AI TOOLS TO TELL CULTURAL STORIES
Date: Thursday 2nd October 2025
Social media is transforming how museums communicate, and artificial intelligence is rapidly expanding what’s possible. This hands-on session invites cultural professionals to explore the creative and ethical potential of AI in social media content creation, in particular videos, from scripting and automated voiceovers to animating archival materials and generating subtitles.
Through talks, demonstrations, and real-world case studies, participants will experiment with emerging tools while critically reflecting on issues of copyright, authorship, and algorithmic bias. Whether you’re new to AI or already experimenting with it, this session provides practical insights and ethical frameworks for using AI to craft compelling, responsible cultural content online.
We invite contributions on topics such as:
WEBINAR 3: NAVIGATING POLITICAL INFLUENCE IN MUSEUM SOCIAL MEDIA: POWER, POLITICS AND SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS
Date: Thursday 16th October 2025
Museums are active participants in public discourse, but how independent are they in the digital realm? This webinar examines the political dimensions of museum communication, including funding restrictions, censorship, activist interventions, and crisis management.
Museums today are not only custodians of culture but active agents in shaping public discourse. Social media amplifies this role, but also exposes institutions to direct and indirect political influence—from government funding conditions to censorship, from public backlash to resistance movements.
This webinar invites museum professionals, cultural theorists, digital curators, activists, and policymakers to explore the complex intersection of government, politics, and museum communication in the digital sphere.
We invite contributions on topics such as:
WHO SHOULD APPLY
We welcome proposals from:
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Please submit
Indicate clearly which webinar you are applying to, or note if you wish to be considered for multiple sessions.
Submission form: Submission form COMMS-AVICOM rev
Email submissions to: avicom@icom.museum
Deadline: Friday 18th July. Successful applicants will be notified by the 30th of July.
Dear AVICOM members,
This year, new elections for our board are due, which will be confirmed by AVICOM members in November during the ICOM General Conference in Dubai. The candidacy process for these elections is now open.
On this occasion, as the outgoing president, I would like to share my personal thoughts on the composition of the new board: In recent years, AVICOM’s activities have increased enormously, and I look back on a very successful period of our committee’s work, including many joint projects and activities with other ICOM committees. All this has only been possible thanks to the committed and creative collaboration within our board, which also required a great deal of personal time and dedication—for which I am very grateful.
Therefore, anyone who wishes to run for the new board should be aware that board work entails a significant personal commitment. Furthermore, despite increasing online communication and meetings, candidates should be prepared to attend key events in person whenever possible (such as the AVICOM annual conference with the general assembly and board meetings).
Equally important is a spirit of collegial and friendly cooperation within the board, guided by the values set out in our AVICOM Code of Conduct on Sustainability, Climate Protection, and Gender Equality (2024).
In this context, I also believe it is advisable that only AVICOM members from nations with harmonious relations with the international community should apply.
I would also be delighted if all continents were represented on the new board.
I now look forward to many interesting candidacies; young colleagues are just as welcome as senior experts. A wide range of candidates ensures a democratic election in which, hopefully, many AVICOM members will participate.
With warm regards,
Yours,
Michael H. Faber
We will be happy to send you the documents and application form: avicom@icom.museum.
Symposium 11 of CoCA2026 ‘Museological Framing: An Anthropological And Curatorial Turning Point In Ethnographic And Rural Museums For An Inclusive Future’
Resonating with the values promoted by AVICOM, Symposium 11 of CoCA2026 advocates for ethical museology and explores how digital and audiovisual storytelling, alongside intercultural collaboration, can transform museums into inclusive platforms for shared heritage and cross-cultural dialogue.
At CoCA 2026, Symposium 11 invites museum professionals, anthropologists, and cultural thinkers to rethink ethnographic and rural museums as dynamic, inclusive, and community-powered spaces.
We’re calling for papers that explore:
Digital storytelling and shared heritage
Decolonisation and restitution
Diasporic collaboration and co-curation
Inspired by the same principles upheld by AVICOM, the symposium promotes intercultural dialogue, innovation through digital technologies, and the ethical reinvention of museological practices.
📅 Join us in Barcelona, 28-29-30 January 2026
📝 Submit your abstract in english, spanish, or catalan, by June 30, 2025
🔗 Call for Papers
#CoCA2026 #AVICOM #MuseumsForChange #CulturalJustice #Ethnography #MuseumInnovation
___________________________________________________________________________
Vestibule of the entrance hall, University of Barcelona
By Pere López – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3050018
CALL FOR PAPERS
ENGLISH
Call for papers CoCA 2026, International Congress of Anthropology CoCA2026
Symposium 11: Museological framing: an anthropological and curatorial turning point in ethnographic and rural museums for an inclusive future
Currently, the narratives of ethnographic museums are undergoing a major reassessment. Traditionally considered static repositories of tangible culture, these institutions are at the forefront of contemporary discussions on restitution, provenance, and inclusive curation. Current global challenges, colonial legacies, or adapting to constant change, require a transition from rigid interpretations of heritage to dynamic, community-driven frameworks. As hubs of knowledge, these museums can redefine their ethical responsibilities by recognising the hidden histories of collections and promoting multi-vocal representations. This symposium is open to papers that reflect on the evolving responsibilities of ethnographic museums in addressing complexity. It aims to be a space to share alternative approaches that emphasise intellectual collaboration, cultural memory, shared stewardship, and the participation of diasporic communities, and that integrate oral histories, digital technologies, and co-created narratives to evolve as spaces of reconciliation, inclusion, and cultural justice. We seek papers that examine how ethnographic and rural museums address contemporary challenges through innovative practices in the following areas: Decolonisation and cultural restitution; Participatory and collaborative curation; Community narrative and oral history; Use of digital technologies for inclusive interpretation; Shared heritage management; Critical evaluation of collections and exhibition processes. We especially encourage the presentation of case studies, ongoing projects, multidisciplinary research, or collaborative initiatives with local and diaspora groups. Proposals focused on suggestions for museological policies, ethical management practices or frameworks for establishing networks between institutions and social entities are accepted.
Location: Faculty of Geography and History, University of Barcelona
Dates: January 28, 29, and 30, 2026
Submit your abstract in english, spanish, or catalan (300 words) by June 30 2025
https://coca.antropologia.cat/enviament-de-comunicacions-2026/
#Anthropology #Ethnography #CoCABCN2026 #CoCA2026 #ruralmuseums
Español
Convocatoria abierta. CoCA 2026
Simposio 11: Encuadre museológico: un punto de inflexión antropológico y curatorial en los museos etnográficos y rurales para un futuro inclusivo
Actualmente, las narrativas de los museos etnográficos experimentan una importante reevaluación. Tradicionalmente consideradas como repositorios estáticos de cultura tangible, estas instituciones se encuentran en la vanguardia de discusiones contemporáneas sobre restitución, procedencias y curadoría inclusiva. Los desafíos globales actuales, los legados coloniales o la adaptación al cambio constante requieren transitar desde interpretaciones rígidas del patrimonio hacia marcos dinámicos impulsados por la comunidad. Como centros de conocimiento, estos museos pueden redefinir sus responsabilidades éticas reconociendo las historias ocultas de las colecciones y promoviendo representaciones multivocales. Su objetivo es ser un espacio para compartir enfoques alternativos que enfatizen la colaboración intelectual, la memoria cultural, la administración compartida y la participación de las comunidades diaspóricas, y que integren historias orales, tecnologías digitales y narrativas co-creadas para evolucionar como espacios de reconciliación, inclusión y justicia cultural. Buscamos comunicaciones que examinen cómo los museos etnográficos y rurales abordan los desafíos contemporáneos mediante prácticas innovadoras en las siguientes áreas: Descolonización y restitución cultural; Curaduría participativa y colaborativa; Narrativa comunitaria e historia oral; Uso de tecnologías digitales para la interpretación inclusiva; Gestión compartida del patrimonio; Evaluación crítica de colecciones y procesos expositivos. Se recomienda especialmente la presentación de estudios de caso, proyectos en curso, investigaciones multidisciplinares o iniciativas de colaboración con grupos locales y de la diáspora. Se aceptan propuestas centradas en sugerencias de políticas museológicas, prácticas de gestión ética o marcos para el establecimiento de redes entre instituciones y entidades sociales.
Lugar: Facultad de Geografía e Historia, Universidad de Barcelona
Fechas: 28, 29 y30 de enero de 2026
Envía tu resumen en inglés, español o catalán (300 palabras) antes del 30 dejunio
https://coca.antropologia.cat/enviament-de-comunicacions-2026/
#CoCABCN26 #Antropología #Etnografía #museusrurals
CATALÀ
Convocatòria oberta! CoCA 2026 – Congrés Català d’Antropologia CoCA2026
Simposi 11:
Renquadrament museològic: un punt d’inflexio antropologic I curatorial en els museus etnografics i rurals per a un futur inclusiu
Actualment, les narratives dels museus etnogràfics experimenten una important reavaluació. Tradicionalment considerats com repositoris estàtics de cultura tangible, aquestes institucions es troben a l’avantguarda de discussions contemporànies sobre restitució, procedències i curadoria inclusiva. Els desafiaments globals actuals, els llegats colonials o l’adaptació al canvi constant, requereixen transitar des d’interpretacions rígides del patrimoni cap a marcs dinàmics impulsats per la comunitat. Com centres de coneixement, aquests museus poden redefinir les seves responsabilitats ètiques reconeixent les històries ocultes de les col·leccions i promovent representacions multi-vocals. Aquest simposi s’obre a comunicacions que reflexionin sobre l’evolució de les responsabilitats dels museus etnogràfics en abordar la complexitat Vol ser un espai on compartir enfocaments alternatius que emfatitzin la col·laboració intellectual, la memòria cultural, l’administració compartida i la participació de les comunitats diaspòriques i que integrin històries orals, tecnologies digitals i narracions co-creades per evolucionar com a espais de reconciliació, inclusió i justícia cultural. Busquem comunicacions que examinin com els museus etnogràfics i rurals aborden els desafiaments contemporanis mitjançant pràctiques innovadores en les següents àrees: Descolonització i restitució cultural; Curaduría participativa i col·laborativa; Narrativa comunitària i història oral; Ús de tecnologies digitals per a la interpretació inclusiva; Gestió compartida del patrimoni; Avaluació crítica de col·leccions i processos expositius. Recomanem especialment la presentació d’estudis de cas, projectes en curs, recerques multidisciplinars o iniciatives de col·laboració amb grups locals i de la diàspora. S’accepten propostes centrades en suggeriments de polítiques museològiques, pràctiques de gestió ètica o marcs per a l’establiment de xarxes entre institucions i entitats socials.
Lloc del congrés: Facultat de Geografia i Història, Universitat de Barcelona
Dates: 28, 29 i 30 de gener 2026
Envia el teu resum en anglès, castellà o català (300 paraules) abans del 30 de juny 2025:
https://coca.antropologia.cat/enviament-de-comunicacions-2026/
#CoCABCN26 #Antropologia #Etnografia #CoCA2026 #museusrurals
The AVICOM’s nearly 30-year-old audio-visual and multimedia F@imp Festival has successfully renewed itself over the decades while preserving its traditions.
In 2023, AVICOM updated the submission categories and awards to reflect the new museum definition’ key concepts.
The new award categories are:
Museum film, animation
Media
Web
Exhibition installation
Mobile application.
The new awards are (instead of gold, silver and bronze awards):
Research, documentary
Education and mediation
Interpretation
Inclusivity and sustainability.
The F@imp Festival 2024-2025 is already open, accepting the entries through 7 September 2025 at faimpavicom.org site. We are waiting for the great applications!
This year the jury will award the ‘ICOM Dubai Special Prize’ to the entry most closely aligned with the
theme of the 27th ICOM General Conference ‘The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing
Communities’ and the related ICOM Dubai 2025 Declaration.
The award ceremony for the 2024-2025 FAIMP Festival will be held during the 27th ICOM Conference in Dubai in November 2025.
All applications and winners of the Festival from 2016 to 2023 can be found here: https://faimpavicom.org/#/faimp/work
All information about the Festival is available on faimpavicom.org site.
Email address: faimp.avicom@gmail.com
Heritage, museums, collections. Professionals’ sharing of skills between
Africa and Europe.
Conference, Rome, 24-25 September 2025. Call for papers.
(ICOM Europe-ICOM Africa, ICOM Arab, Italian Ministry of Culture DIVA, ICOM Italy, ICOFOM, SUSTAIN, MPR, AVICOM, INTERCOM, ICOM WGD)
Debates involving museums and decolonization practices are ongoing and evolving, taking
into account the global consequences of colonialism in contemporary societies, including
social and economic inequalities, the marginalization of certain populations, ongoing
threats to indigenous peoples and their traditional lands, institutional racism, and sexism
in all their forms.
Decolonization, in its many uses by museums and curators, is a practice and an effort that
sits within a continuum – which in turn looks different in different parts of the world –
addressing various difficult histories related to political relations and processes of the
Empire formation, and resulting in various experimental solutions. But one general thing
we must recognize from the current debate is the fact that “decolonization” is about
probing into the systems used, the destruction wrought and remedying, by telling the
difficult truth of its ruthlessness. Restitution involves not only a material (and legal)
transfer of colonial objects, but also a spiritual return of identity knowledge that had been
taken off. More significantly, for people claiming their right to memory, restitution means
a reconnection with history: a reconnection that requires their collaboration with the
institutions that narrate the colonial past, by engaging in collaborative practices to
reconnect with the material traces of their past that are currently held by European
museums in order to use and/or rediscover traditional knowledge, and engaging in
collaborative practices, African and Afro-descendant curators, artists, activists, and
scholars. European museums are rewriting narratives, changing practices, and sharing
their imagery and knowledge as a mean to ‘decolonize’.
Sharing must lead to the recognition of cultural diversity and consequently to thinking of
the museum not as an absolute entity with similar characteristics – which are also ‘colonial’
in the exportation of the Western historical model -, but as realities linked to processes of
memory formation, processes which, for historical, anthropological and sociological
reasons, cannot respond to absolute models but respond to territorial realities that develop
their own models. The presence, in terms of quality and quantity, of tangible and intangible works of African
provenance in European museums, dedicated institutions, religious, missionary,
ethnological and scientific institutions, mainly universities, is enormous and partially
unknown.
For all collections not subject to restitution, a long task awaits the depository museums,
their reconnaissance and cataloguing with the verification of provenance and the definition
of the exhibition criteria and the museological projects for their enhancement (mediation
apparatus, conservation, restauration and educational projects).
The difficulties of interpretation, more generally, concern all art that does not belong to
long-standing cultural systems. By referring to studies focused on cultures other than our
own, we are able to recover visions and attitudes that allow us to understand our own
heritage much better and recover the intelligence of our past.
It is precisely for this reason that the European musealization of objects from outside
Europe cannot take place without dialogue on the pivotal concepts for such collections, the
concept of heritage and museum.
The conference in the present document wants to exchange views about new ways of
considering African museum heritage in European museums by comparing concepts of
museum and heritage in European and African thought and practice.
It will include two in-depth conceptual sessions with four keynote speakers, two from
Europe and two from Africa, followed by two panel discussions. This session will be
followed by three panels of comparative experiences between European and African
museologists and museum professionals, summarised in a final discussion of reports and
posters.
Papers and posters should refer to the conceptual choice of the conference and, in
particular, to three areas (panels):
– Heritage and museum. Musealisation, conservation, digital, restoration, research, study
and cataloguing.
– Museum displays. New readings and new interpretations.
– Heritage. Museums. Collections. The communities’ role.
The scientific committee will particularly appreciate the account and highlighting of
challenges (political, social, technological, managerial, organisational, personnel and
personnel training) faced by African and European museum professionals as they work
toward a more anticolonial relationship.
Speakers are invited to submit their proposals in English or French with a short
explanatory text (max. 300 words), the title and the chosen area (panel), indicating
whether the presentation is to be a lecture or a poster.
Speakers chosen by the scientific committee will have to present their paper in person; online papers are not foreseen. The invitation includes the coverage of the expenses for travels and accommodations at the conference venue.
Posters may be sent, also by e-mail, to the conference organisation, printed and displayed
at the expense of the conference. No reimbursements for travels and accommodations
expenses are provided for the writers of the posters.
All proposals must be received by 25 May 2025 by the writer (chair.icomeurope@gmail.com). Proposals received after this date cannot be evaluated and considered. Admissions will be notified by June 10, 2025.
