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ICOM

ICOM General Conference 2022 in Prague

Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and member of Dubai Council, attended the opening ceremony of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) General Conference 2022 in Prague, Czech Republic. Her Highness is accompanied by a high-level UAE delegation, including Her Excellency Reem Al Hashemi, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation, and Her Excellency Hala Badri, Director General of Dubai Culture, as well as UAE cultural sector officials.

As head of the UAE delegation attending the 26th ICOM General Conference, Her Highness Sheikha Latifa gave talks on cultural exchange and encouraged knowledge sharing and cooperation during meetings with Czech officials and various ICOM members.

The visit to Prague reflects Dubai’s commitment to developing the emirate’s creative economy and the desire to make the city a hub for the creative and cultural sector ahead of the ICOM General Conference in Dubai in 2025. The emirate will be the first city in the MENASA region to host the prestigious international conference. 

On the occasion, His Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said: “Dubai continues to invest in its cultural and creative industries and sees museums as an integral pillar in this ecosystem. We are honoured that Dubai has been chosen as the host city for the upcoming ICOM General Conference in 2025, which will bring together thousands of museum experts to discuss the latest developments in the field and the future of the industry. The insights we have shared during this year’s conference sessions and the rich discussions we have had on the sidelines of the event have been invaluable. We look forward to future collaborations that will enrich the cultural and museum sector worldwide.”

Her Highness added: “Over the past five years, the Dubai government has invested over AED 1 billion in developing the city’s historic sites and turning the emirate into an open-air museum, as Dubai and the UAE recognise the value and importance of cultural heritage preservation and the role that museums play in this regard. We are looking forward to welcoming thousands of leaders and museum professionals from more than 120 countries covering 20,000 international museums, especially as Dubai will be the first city in the MENASA region to host the conference.”

As part of the event, Her Highness also attended a number of sessions, including keynote speeches and panel discussions.

The UAE delegation participating from Dubai Culture includes Muna Faisal Al Gurg, Director General of the Culture and Heritage Sector; Mariam Al Afridi, Executive Director of the Chairman’s Office; and Maryam Mudhaffar Ahli, Project Manager at the Department of Museums. The delegation also includes representatives from ICOM-UAE, including Rashad Bukhash, and several ICOM-UAE members from the country’s museum sector.

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