ICOM Statement, E-newsletter December 2014 – January 2015

The International Council of Museums (ICOM) is the only international organisation representing museums and museum professionals.

ICOM condemns the intolerable terrorists’ attacks of 7, 8 and 9 January 2015 in France and expresses its solidarity with all the victims and their families in this terrible time. We will never accept these extremely grave acts, and we would like to reiterate our unfailing attachment to freedom of speech and cultural diversity.

The ICOM General Secretariat, based in Paris, observed a minute of silence in memory of the victims last week, and many museums and colleagues joined us for this moment of reflection.

These recent series of events, together with the tragedies of Ferguson, Cleveland and New York in the United States, must lead to a common reaction on museums’ place in society, as part of the educational and cultural network of each citizen.

It is our role, as mediators of culture, to create connections and inclusiveness, and to connect our collections and missions to relevant contemporary issues.