Icom Advisory Committee

1

2005/AD.0818November 2005

(Original: French)

ICOM ADVISORY COMMITTEE

67th session

6 –8 June 2005

Paris (France)

DRAFT MINUTES

CONTENTS

Address by the Chairperson of the Advisory Committee / p.03
Address by the ICOM President / p.03
Address by UNESCO Representative / p.03
Adoption of the draft agenda / p.05
Adoption of the previous Minutes / p.05
Special Session / p.05
Examination of the documents / p.06
- Examination of the Executive Council Minutes / p.06
- Report by the Treasurer / p.06
- Presentation of the candidates to host ICOM’2010 / p.06
- Report by the Secretary General / p.07
ICOM Strategic Plan for 2005-2007 / p.07
Report by the Chairperson of the Ethics Committee / p.08
Report by the Working Group on the Revision of the Statutes / p.08
Report by the Task Force on International Committees / p.08
Report by the Pilot Nomination Committee / p.09
Emergency Situations / p.09
General Conferences / p.09
Separate meetings of the National and International Committees / p.10
Regional Organisations / p.12
Miscellaneous / p.13
Dates and places of the next Advisory Committee meeting / p.13
Annexes / p.14-22

The following appendices include the full text of the Report presented during the Advisory Committee meeting:

Appendix 1:Report by the ICOM Ethics Committee

Appendix 2:Revised version of the Recommendations adopted by the Advisory Committee in Seoul 2004

Appendix 3:List of participants

0.Opening remarks by the Chairperson of the Advisory Committee

Günther Dembski welcomed the members of the Advisory Committee, the representatives of the UNESCO Permanent Delegations, MrGadi Mgomezulu, Director of the Cultural Heritage Division, and Virgil Nitulescu, Deputy Chairperson of the Advisory Committee. He warmly welcomed the new National Committee of the Moldavian Republic and the re-organised Committee of Indonesia. Finally, the Chairperson welcomed the new International Committee on Collections and Activities of City Museums (CAMOC), as well as all new members elected since the ICOM General Conference held in 2004.

One minute of silence was observed in memory of ICOM members who had passed away since October 2004. A special tribute was paid by Timothy Mason, President of the Association of Commonwealth Museums (CAM), to Emmanuel Arinze (Nigeria), President of AFRICOM and CAM, as well as by Angelica Ruge to Jane Rosen Glaser, an honorary member of ICTOP.

-Mr Emmanuel Arinze, President of the International Council of African Museums (AFRICOM) and the Association of Commonwealth Museums (CAM);

-Mr David Devenish, the first museum professional, Curator of the Museum of Barbados and the Museum of Gibraltar;

-Mrs Jane Glaser, Honorary Member of ICTOP;

-Mrs Elahe Jalalia, Secretary of ICOM Iran;

-Dr Jan Jelinek, Honorary Member and Former President of ICOM;

-Mrs Samia El Mallah, Director of External Relations, Supreme Council of Antiquities, Egypt;

-Mrs Caroline Villiers, Vice-President of ICOM-Conservation (ICOM-CC);

-Mrs Jenny Schneider, President of ICOM Costume and Member of the ICOM Foundation Bureau.

1. Address by the ICOM President

Alissandra Cummins thanked members of the Advisory Committee and all ICOM members for her election. She paid a tribute to the work carried out by Jacques Perot, ICOM President from 1998 to 2004, and by the members of the Executive Council up to 2004. She expressed the hope that she would be able to handle her functions with the newly elected Executive Council. In the name of Advisory Committee members, she thanked ICOM 2004 for the magnificent conference organised in 2004. She announced that the Executive Council intended to work in compliance with the Strategic Plan adopted by the General Assembly in October 2004. An abbreviated version of the Plan will be submitted to the Advisory Committee for approval during the discussions.

Alissandra Cummins referred to the tsunami tragedy that occurred in December 2004 in Asia. She noted that ICOM reacted immediately by creating an Internet site to help museums in the event of a disaster (Disaster Relief for Museums Web Site). In addition, a Disaster Relief Task Force was set up to be responsible for determining the tools that need to be developed to assist museums during and after a disaster. Almost simultaneously, a Disaster Relief for Museums Fund was created, to which the ICOM President encouraged members to contribute.

The Executive Council also considered the progress made by the «.museum» project, and defined new strategies.

Alissandra Cummins informed members of the impending creation of a new Standing Committee on International Committees. The members of the Advisory Committee will be informed about the tasks and composition of this Committee in the very near future.

The President welcomed the publication of two books:

- «Running a Museum: A Practical Handbook“

-«Patrimoine culturel: prévention et gestion des catastrophes» (Cultural Heritage: Prevention and Management of Disasters). This work, published within the framework of the Museum Emergency Programme (MEP), contains the presentations made by professionals who took part in the International Symposium organised by ICOM in Hyderabad (India) from 23 to 27 November 2003.

The President thanked the Secretariat for its dynamic efforts and active participation in the life of the Organisation.

ICOM will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2006. Alissandra Cummins pointed out that this would be a major challenge for members of the Advisory Committee, who should display initiative and convey the organisation's vitality.

Günther Dembski thanked Alissandra Cummins and assured her of the Advisory Committee's support. He also congratulated her on her commitment to ICOM during all these years.

2.Address by the UNESCO Representative

Mr Gadi Mgomezulu, Director of the Cultural Heritage Division, expressed the regrets of Mr Koïchiro Matsuura, UNESCO Director General, and of Mr.Mounir Bouchenaki, Assistant Director-General for Culture, who were unable to attend the meeting.

He said he attached great importance to the current co-operation between UNESCO and all non-governmental cultural organisations, including ICOM, ICOMOS, IFLA and ICA, as well as ICCROM, the intergovernmental organisation specialised in conservation.

He welcomed the strong co-operation that had been maintained over the years to promote and implement the various UNESCO Conventions. The successes had been unequal. They were unequivocal in certain cases, such as the 1970 Convention on the return or restitution of cultural property, but were less successful in others, for example, the 2001 Convention on the protection of underwater cultural heritage. A strategy designed to improve the situation further should therefore be drawn up. It would probably be necessary to increase co-operative efforts. With this in mind, MrMgomezulu informed members of the creation of a new unit within the Cultural Heritage Division with special responsibility for developing museums and protecting cultural movables.

In 2004, UNESCO’s Division of Culture launched a new programme for the preservation of endangered cultural movables and the development of museums, initiatives inaugurated in 2004-2005 with the return of the United States to UNESCO. Although UNESCO has been participating for years in museum-related projects and has published the review MUSEUM INTERNATIONAL since 1948, this is an important programme because it will lead to the creation of a specific unit within the Cultural Heritage Division, thus continuing and strengthening UNESCO's activities in the area of museums. This new unit's objective, in the words of the Director General, Koïchiro Matsuura, is to strengthen UNESCO's capacity to help member States preserve endangered cultural movables and develop museums, particularly for the benefit of the least developed, low-income and transition countries. It is a well known fact that the majority of these countries have rich collections of old objects and ethnographic documents but lack adequate resources or infrastructures for safeguarding and promoting their unique heritage. This is one reason, among others, why the Cultural Sector, UNESCO’s field units, the International Council of Museums (ICOM) and others will collaborate in this important undertaking.

At present, the programme is structured around 11 pilot projects for the preservation of endangered collections and 10 partnership initiatives between museums are in the process of being launched. In principle, these programmes will become the driving force behind the new unit of the Cultural Heritage Division. Its objectives will be to:

-strengthen strategic partnerships for recording, documenting and preserving cultural property;

-improve exhibition, interpretation and educational activities;

-transfer knowledge and skills through partnerships between museums and the formation a network of professionals;

-strengthen co-operation with international organisations such as ICOM and ICCROM, and with regional organisations such as the Programme for Museum Development in Africa (PMDA) and the School of African Heritage, as well as museums and universities worldwide.

In conclusion, Mr Mgomezulu appealed for more dynamic co-operation with ICOM, via the new Unit for the Development of Museums and Protection of Cultural Movables. It is up to us to seek and explore new possibilities for museums and museum professionals all over the world to contribute towards understanding and peace in the world.

Günther Dembski thanked Mr. Mgomezulu for his remarks, and welcomed the creation of this new unit, with which ICOM intended to co-operate very closely.

3.Adoption of the Agenda

York Langenstein, Chairperson of the German National Committee, requested the addition of the following points for discussion by the Advisory Committee. As these proposals fall within the competence of the Executive Council, they would be submitted to it:

-acceptance of new institutional members;

-acceptance of students / young volunteers;

-amendment to the Code of Ethics;

-harmonisation of the dates of the International Museum Day and the Spring of Museums.

The Chairperson of the German Committee was thanked for his suggestions.

The Advisory Committee added the following points to the Agenda:

-presentation of the session held on 7 June 2005 concerning the use of the local language for the Web site and the domain name of Committees (Cary Karp);

-presentation of the new ICOM Web site (following the report by John Zvereff);

-report by the Disaster Relief for Museums Task Force (following the report on emergency situations).

4.Adoption of the previous Minutes

2004/AD.10rev1:65th session, 1st October 2004, Seoul (Korea)

The minutes were adopted by the Advisory Committee without any modifications or comments.

2004/AD.11:66th session, 8 October 2004, Seoul (Korea)

The minutes were adopted by the Advisory Committee without any modifications or comments.

5.Presentation of the draft Convention on the protection of the diversity of cultural content and artistic expressions [Katarina Stenou, UNESCO]

Katarina Stenou, Director of UNESCO’s Division of Cultural Policies and Inter-cultural Dialogue, presented the preliminary draft of the Convention on the protection of cultural content and artistic expressions.

Advisory Committee members, who were particularly satisfied with this interesting presentation, asked a number of questions, one of them concerning UNESCO's position in the protection of cultural heritage, particularly in developing countries. Katarina Stenou highlighted the role ICOM had to play in this Convention, particularly its dissemination and application.

Günther Dembski thanked Katarina Stenou. The ICOM President joined him in expressing her appreciation and requested a greater involvement on the part of ICOM in this draft Convention.

A special session devoted to the Convention was held on Tuesday, 7 June 2005, chaired by Alissandra Cummins, ICOM President, and co-ordinated by Amareswar Galla, ICOM Vice-President, with Steven Engelsman (Netherlands) and Corazon Avina (Philippines) as the main speakers.

6.EXAMINATION OF THE ICOM DOCUMENTS

6.1.Executive Council Minutes

The members of the Advisory Committee took note, without comments, of the Minutes of the 105th and 106th session of the Executive Board held, respectively, in Seoul in October 2004 and in Paris in December 2004.

6.2.Report and adoption of the financial documents

Nancy Hushion, ICOM Treasurer, submitted for approval by the Advisory Committee members: the balance sheet and income statement for the year 2004, as well as the revised budget for the year 2005. The Treasurer thanked John Zvereff, Sylvie Délice and the Executive Board members for their collaboration.

a)2004 balance sheet and incomes& expenditures statement

The balance sheet for 2004 shows assets amounting to € 2,033,125 and an income statement with a deficit of € 110,139 (an excess in running costs of € 66,587, and a negative financial result of 175,726 due to the exchange rate loss) that will be offset by ICOM’s reserves. Nancy Hushion reminded members that the exchange rate was previously set every three years by the General Assembly. The Advisory Committee members requested a few explanations about the reserves. The 2004 balance sheet and income statement were adopted by the Advisory Committee.

b)2005 Budget

The 2005 budget was presented, accompanied by a comparison with the 2004 budget.

The 2005 budget was adopted by the Advisory Committee.

The Treasurer reported that the ICOM Financial Committee, chaired by Robert Spickler (Canada), intended to reflect on how the management of ICOM’s finances could be further improved. The PowerPoint presentation as a whole was all the more appreciated in that it offered a clear view of the financial situation. In response to questions raised about the relationship between the budget and the ICOM strategic plan, Nancy Hushion said this would appear in the draft budget for 2006. The Treasurer also informed members that in June 2006, the draft budgets for 2006 and 2007 will be submitted to them for approval, and that the Advisory Committee will approve the budgets for the following year at its meeting in June.

Günther Dembski thanked Nancy Hushion as well as the persons who contributed to preparing the financial documents.

7.Presentation of the candidates to host ICOM 2010

A complete revised document (2010/CG.10) was sent on 31 March 2005 via ADCOM-L. The deadline of 15 May 2005 was postponed to 31 May 2005, as approved by the ICOM President and at the request of two candidate countries. The two countries presented their applications in their own language, but with simultaneous translation into French and English, each accompanied by a video presentation.

7.1.Russia's candidacy

Mr Vitaly Remizov, Chairperson of the National Committee, presented Russia's candidacy. The Conference would be held in Moscow from 16 to 21 May 2010 on the following theme: "Museums and the approach to forming democratic values in the contemporary world community". The Chairperson designated the possible speakers and presented the city of Moscow as well as the museums that might be visited by the participants. He described the infrastructures and the visits that could be organised before and after the Conference. However, he pointed out that this was only a draft programme, to be finalised if need be. He informed members that the government and the municipal authorities have been mobilised to ensure that the Conference would be a success, if Russia were to be selected.

7.2.China's candidacy

Mr Zhang Wenbin, Chairperson of the National Committee, presented China's candidacy. The Conference would be held in Beijing from 15 to 20 October 2010. Two themes were proposed: "Museum and Harmony" and "Constant Development and the Future of Museums". He presented his country and briefly described the history of the creation of museums in China. He assured members of the Chinese government's commitment and promised a wide-ranging publicity campaign to mobilise professionals and the public.

***

A third candidacy, received from Italy, just before the start of the Advisory Committee session, was not considered because it was incomplete. Mr Daniel Jalla, Chairperson of the Italian National Committee, explained that his Committee had been reorganised, and this had compromised the presentation of the Italian candidacy to a certain extent.

Advisory Committee members were informed that the two candidacies will be submitted to the Executive Council. Between June 2005 and June 2006, Executive Council members will undertake a mission to the two countries to obtain additional information.

The Executive Council will then submit a comparative table to the Advisory Committee, which will make its decision by voting at its meeting to be held in June 2006. Approval of the final choice will be submitted for ratification by the General Assembly, during the ICOM 2007 General Conference in Vienna (Austria).

1. Report by the Secretary General [John Zvereff]

John Zvereff, the new Secretary General, made a PowerPoint presentation of the activities carried on by the ICOM Secretariat since March 2005. He also presented some statistics on changes in membership since 2001. He said that a full report was included in the Advisory Committee's working documents [2005/SEC.02] and that it could also consulted on the ICOM Web site [

Carla Bonomi presented the future ICOM Web site, which should be operational by the end of July 2005. After indicating that the present Web site will include a link with the future one, she invited members to put forward their suggestions.

Members approved the activity report and applauded the presentation of the new ICOM Web site.

9.ICOM's strategic plan for 2005-2007[Alissandra Cummins and John Zvereff]

Alissandra Cummins, ICOM President, presented and commented on the revised version of the strategic plan for 2005-2007. After reminding members of the work accomplished by the Programme Activities Committee during the ICOM General Conference in Seoul in 2004, she thanked Yani Herreman, the Chairperson of that Committee. John Zvereff commented on the process that resulted in the present document.

Members approved the revised version of the strategic plan for 2005-2007 but asked that the comments made during the separate meetings of the National and International Committees be taken into account.

10.Report by the Chairperson of the Ethics Committee [Bernice Murphy]

Bernice Murphy, Chairperson of the Ethics Committee, introduced the Committee, which was set up in December 2004, and paid homage to the work done by Geoffrey Lewis, Chairperson until that time.

The Committee will now adopt a new approach to look for and promote studies of useful cases, as well as to demonstrate their effectiveness in solving the principal ethical problems. She indicated that the Committee's mandate would be revised to enable it to play a more proactive role in the future. She stressed the need for members to translate into their own language the revised version of the ICOM Code of Ethicsfor Museums, as adopted in Seoul in 2004. Furthermore, she recommended that the publication of the Code of Ethics should always appear with one of the base languages (English or French). To this end, the Committee was prepared to issue directives and to give advice to National Committees requiring it. The Chairs of the National Committees of Mexico and Israel expressed a desire to have the Code translated into their own language, and announced that that they had come up with funds for publication.