Message from the Chairperson
FROM THE DESK OF THE CHAIR
Chairperson of ICMEMO
Dear Members of the ICMEMOHRI Community,
It is a great honor for me to serve as the Chair of this superb, creative, and thoughtful International Committee. I find great joy in working alongside such extraordinary people who are willing to volunteer their time, contribute their ideas, and extend a helping hand wherever it is needed.
We have recently concluded our 2024 Conference African Memorial and Human Rights Museums Building a More Sustainable Future for Peace, which took place in Kigali, Rwanda. It was not only the first time ICMEMOHRI met on the African continent, but we were the first International Committee to do so. The emphasis was placed on learning from our African, so most of the speakers were from Africa, specifically Rwanda, Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa. We began with a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial and Museum. It was a fitting start to a conference marking the 30th anniversary of the genocide against the Tutsis.
ICOM President Emma Nardi and the Spokesperson for the Ntional Committees of ICOM Muthoni Thang’wa honored us with their presence. Our hosts were Aegis Trust and the Kigali Genocide Memorial as well as the Goethe Institute. Assumpta Muriganeza, Director of the Iriba Centre in Kigali, and her entire family helped make our stay most memorable. Their guidance and help were invaluable. We all have memories that will last a lifetime.
The conference was one of our most successful with the majority of speakers from the African continent. Attendance exceeded official capacity, but we are a friendly group and are always willing to add more chairs! We hope to be able to post recordings of the sessions to our YouTube channel. If you follow us on Facebook and Instagram, you have already seen some photos.
We have written a statement on the situation in Argentina where cultural and sites of memory, are under pressure from a government that does not recognize the importance of facing history and educating the public about the past and the need to safeguard human rights for the future. I hope you have had the opportunity to read it.
We are also looking ahead to 2025. Sessions for the ICOM Triennial in Dubai are in the planning stages in partnership with other International Committees. Yet, that is not all. While it is just an idea, we are working on another opportunity to meet in-person meeting during the year. So please check your inboxes and our website https://icmemo.mini.icom.museum/
Sincerely,
Jane E Klinger, Chair