In the context of the 2015 UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Protection and Promotion of Museums and Collections, their Diversity and their Role in Society, a High Level Forum on Museums is established by UNESCO. Its inaugural meeting is being held in Shenzhen, China, from 9 to 12 November 2016. This event is co-organized with the National Commission of People’s Republic of China to UNESCO, Shenzhen Municipality, Zhi Zhen Art Museum and the State Administration for Cultural Heritage (SACH) of China.

In the past 40 years, the number of museums across the globe has more than doubled. Not only do museums ensure the preservation of our common heritage and enhance the cultural lives of communities and countries, they also showcase cultural diversity and contribute to global tourism and local economies.  Recognizing that museums play important social, educational and economic roles, the Forum’s high-level international panelists, including many directors of the world’s great museums, will discuss new museum sector trends and public policies, the protection of cultural property and collections, the ethical and technological standards for museums, and how better to engage and benefit communities. The implementation of the 2015 Recommendation and reinforcement of international cooperation in the field of museums will also be discussed.

On this occasion, our ICOM Director of Programmes and Partnership, France Desmarais, is participating to a panel dedicated on "illicit trafficking of cultural property: the importance of documentation, inventories, authentication". Co-panelists includes Mr. DUAN Yong, Director of Department of Museum Affairs, SACH (China), Mr WU Fuqing, Director-General, Zhi Zheng Art Museum (China), Ms Amara SRISUCHAT, Senior advisor and expert in archaeology and museum, Ministry of Culture of Thailand (Thailand) and Ms Chedlia ANNABI, Former President, ICOM Arab; Curator, Museum of Carthage (Tunisia).
 

More info:

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/culture/themes/museums/unesco-high-level-fo...

http://www.unesco.org/culture/pdf/mus/english-french-programme.pdf