Regional museums encouraging sustainable use of cultural and natural heritage

Regional museums strive to serve their regional/local communities. How can regional museums be active as responsible partners in respecting, preserving and interpreting traditions of cultural and natural heritage? Regional museums can be responsive and collaborate with experts across different fields, collecting both intangible and tangible heritage - to represent people whose voices have not always been heard, especially in preserving customs and traditional practices related to natural resources. Regional museums should expand the field of museum studies to cover ecological issues of the past, present and future, building on traditions of planting, harvesting, fishing, animal husbandry etc. and effective management of the cultural and/or natural environment for a sustainable future.

ICR encourages presentations sharing successes and challenges, critical case studies and provocative new ideas in addressing the questions outlined below.
• How do regional museums interpret social and/or ecological issues through collections, exhibitions, digital contents and public activities?
• How can regional museums encourage positive cultural attitudes towards the environment?
• How do regional museums document, collect and interpret ecological issues of the past, present and future as part of regional history?
• How can regional museums interpret complicated concept and practices for the public in engaging ways?
• How can regional museums cooperate effectively with different sciences – climatology, dendrology, biology, human ecology etc.?
• How regional museums raise public awareness of the influence and effects of traditional and contemporary culture on our natural environment?

Please send us an abstract of no more than 350 words and up to 5 keywords, as well as a 75-word biography.

Abstracts should include the following:
• Title
• Name and institution of the author (ICOM number if applicable)
• E-mail address
• Any special technical requirements (for example a Mac or PC for accompanying images, video)
• Paper must be given in English
• Time limit: presentation on theme 15 minutes; poster: 5 minutes

Deadline for submission of an abstract: 15 March 2019, to be sent to:
Tuulia Tuomi, tuulia.tuomi@hameenlinna.fi
Orit Shamir, orit@israntique.org.il

Announcement of approved proposals: 31 March 2019

Full-text submission: 30 June 2019, to be sent to
Tuulia Tuomi, tuulia.tuomi@hameenlinna.fi
Orit Shamir, orit@israntique.org.il

Further details about registration, payment methods, accommodation, and travel grants can be found
on ICR website: http://network.icom.museum/icr/

Contacts for further information or to submit your proposal:
Irena Žmuc, ICR Chairperson, irena.zmuc@mgml.si
Kenji Saotome, ICR Secretary and member of Kyoto Organizing Committee,
saotome_kenji@hotmail.com
Orit Shamir, ICR Treasurer, orit@israntique.org.il