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INTRODUCTION
The International Council of Museums (ICOM) is proud to present the 2023 annual report, highlighting our progress
and achievements aligned with the Strategic Plan (2022-2028). This year, we strengthened ICOM’s global presence,governance, financial stability, communication, diversity, and sustainability efforts. At the G20 Culture Ministers
Meeting in India, we advocated for the role of museums in cultural preservation and sustainable development,
resulting in the Varanasi Declaration. Our collaboration with ICOMOS, Blue Shield, ICA, and IFLA reinforced
heritage protection efforts, establishing partnerships that led to the 2024 declaration on protecting culturalproperty during armed conflicts.
We updated ICOM’s Statutes and Rules for better organisational coherence. The President welcomed Medea Ekner
as Director General (interim) and Eunice Baez Sanchez as Vice-Chairperson of the Advisory Council. Digital
initiatives like the digitisation of the ICOM archives and the ICOM podcast expanded our reach to new audiences.
ICOM’s Membership base grew to 57,208, an increase of 11.5%.
We launched the ICOM Award for Sustainable Development Practice in Museums, the first global award
recognising innovative initiatives and exemplary museum practices in sustainable development. This award aligns
with ICOM’s 2019 Kyoto Resolution on sustainability and Agenda 2030, promoting sustainable development inmuseums worldwide.
International Museum Day 2023 focused on the theme of Museums, Sustainability and Wellbeing, emphasising
the crucial role museums play in supporting the wellbeing and sustainable development of our communities.
Museums contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by supporting climate action, fostering
inclusivity, tackling social isolation, and improving mental health.
2023 has been a year of proactive engagement and achievements.
We remain committed to our Strategic Plan and thank you for your continued trust and support.

Emma Nardi, ICOM President
Medea Ekner, ICOM Director General

57,208 Members+ 11,5% growth compared to 2022

120 National Committees
in 129 countries and territories

26,405 Members inInternational Committees
7 Regional Alliances

ADVOCACY, GLOBAL OUTREACH& COLLABORATION

Emma NARDI, ICOM President at G20

ICOM continued advocate for museums on an international level in 2023,representing the interests of the museum sector at high-level gatherings suchas the 2023 G20 Culture Ministers Meeting in Varanasi, India, and COP28in Dubaï for the adoption of a framework policy to recognise culture as acontributor in climate action. Through strategic statements, policy briefs, andcollaborative initiatives, ICOM addressed pivotal issues such as the evolving
definition of museums, the ethical implications of cultural exchange andrepatriation, and the preservation of intangible cultural heritage.
By fostering dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect among diverse
stakeholders, including governments, cultural institutions, indigenous
communities and partners such as IFLA, ICA, ICOMOS, and ICCROM, ICOM
reinforced its commitment to excellence in museum practices, ethicalstewardship of cultural heritage, and the promotion of cultural diversity andintercultural dialogue on a global scale. It highlights the importance ofspecialised international organisations like ICOM in the implementation ofinternational standards for the protection of heritage and in reinforcing
dialogue, solidarity and international cooperation. As in the Statement
concerning Israel and Palestine, ICOM stands firm in its commitment topreserve cultural heritage.

Emma Nardi and Medea Ekner at G20, Varanasi, India

PROMOTING SOCIAL JUSTICE &ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

Global Call to put Culture at the heart of Climate Action

Throughout 2023, ICOM remained steadfast in its commitment to foster
inclusivity, equity, and sustainability within the museum community. For
instance, by being part of the founding signatories and supporters of the‘Global Call to Action to Put Cultural Heritage, Arts, and CreativeSectors at the Heart of Climate Action’ launched by the Climate
Heritage Network.
ICOM took a number of actions in relation to decolonisation including theMuseum International issue "Towards Decolonisation", featuring
diverse perspectives from indigenous peoples, curators, and museum
professionals. With the interest generated by this issue, Museum
International has seen a 36% increase in downloads, reaching 77,032
downloads in 2023.
Upholding principles of human rights, we endeavored to ensure thatmuseums are inclusive spaces, accessible and welcoming to allmembers of society, regardless of background or identity. Bychampioning diversity, equity, and inclusion, we sought to create
environments where every individual feels valued, represented, andempowered to engage with cultural heritage in meaningful ways.

Tata Somba eco-museum, West Africa's first ecological museum,
Sèmè City, BeninPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Ernest KPAN, President of ICOM Côte d’IvoireIn 2023, ICOM organised multiple training and exchange
initiatives to support museum professionals worldwide. Key
programs included the ICOM-ITC workshops in March andNovember, focusing on conservation, exhibition development,and museum education​​. Regional training sessions in Africa,
the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region addressed museum
management, digitalization, and disaster risk management​.
Additionally, ICOM provided online webinars and e-learning
courses on museum ethics, inclusive practices, and use oftechnology in museums​. A notable professional exchange was
the Germany-Zambia exchange programme, where a German
museum professional spent 20 days at the Livingstone Museumin Zambia.
By nurturing a vibrant community of practice and providing
avenues for ongoing learning and collaboration, ICOM
strengthened the capacity of museum professionals to meet theevolving challenges of the field with confidence and expertise.
Exchange Programmes 2023 - Germany - Zambia

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIESIN ICOM GOVERNANCE

President’s Report 2023

As the landscape of cultural heritage governance continued toevolve, ICOM embarked on a journey of transition in 2023. The
adoption of new statutes and the establishment of two newInternational Committees marked significant milestones in ourorganisational development.
With the appointment of Medea Ekner, former ViceChairperson of the Advisory Council, as Director General(interim) and the formation of dynamic working groups andstanding committees, ICOM positioned itself to navigate
emerging challenges and capitalise on new opportunities inpursuit of its mission.
Through transparent and inclusive governance processes, ICOM
sought to foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, andexcellence across all levels of the organisation.

Participants at ICOM-CC Triennial Conference 2023 in València, SpainINTERNATIONAL MUSEUM DAY

The theme for the 2023 International Museum Day edition was Museums,
Sustainability and Wellbeing.
Museums are key contributors to the wellbeing and to the sustainable
development of our communities. As trusted institutions and important threads
in our shared social fabric, they are uniquely placed to create a cascading
effect to foster positive change.
As highlighted in the ICOM Resolution “On sustainability and theimplementation of Agenda 2030, Transforming our World” (Kyoto, 2019),
all museums have a role to play in shaping and creating sustainable futures,and they can do this through educational programmes, exhibitions, community
outreach and research.
Each year since 2020, International Museum Day is underpinned by theUnited Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In 2023, we focused on:
Goal 3 Global Health and Wellbeing
Goal 13 Climate Action
Goal 15 Life on Land

PROJECTS FUNDED BY ICOM SAREC
Special projects 2023 (€70,211 allocated):
Les musées face à leurs responsabilités environnementale et sociétale : vers un modèle éthique et durable – by ICOMFrance together with ICOM CC, NATHIST, ICTOP, ICOM Arab, ICOM LAC, ICOM Espagne, ICOM Canada, ICOM
Liban, and Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
Two Horizons: two-way museology, a cross institutional and multi-knowledge system exploration – by UMAC, together
with ICOM Australia, Shanghai Foundation, ICR, ICME, Council of Australian University Museums and Collections,Anant University & UNESCO Cultural Heritage Chair, Australian National University, and The University of Sydney
Young people shaping the future of museology through the lens of the SDGs – by ICOFOM, together with University of
St Andrews, Qatar Museums, ICOM UK, ICOFOM ASPAC, West Harris Trust, Association des Musées etÉtablissements Patrimoniaux de Nouvelle-Calédonie, National Gallery of the Cayman Islands, and Cayman
National Cultural Foundation
City Museums Global Mapping Project - Year 3 – by CAMOC, together with COMCOL, ASPAC, and National Taipei
University of Education (NTUE)
Continued on page 17

PROJECTS FUNDED BY ICOM SAREC
Special projects 2023 (€70,211 allocated):

Historia de la Museología en América Latina y el Caribe(colecciones fundamentales): consolidación de la Red – by ICOM
Brasil, together with ICOFOM, ICOM LAC, ICOM Mexico, ICOM
Guatemala, ICOM Barbados, and Centro de investigación
NUMMUS
Annual Conference of the ICOM International Committee forMuseums and Collections of Natural History - Costa Rica 2023 – byICOM Costa Rica, together with Museo Nacional de Costa Rica,and ICOM LAC
Europe of Museums: New Definition, New Perspectives. Identity,Credibility, Sustainability – by ICOM Greece, together with ICOM
Europe, ICOM France, and ICOM Cyprus

Solidarity projects 2023 (€50,270 allocated):

Effective museum leadership in mitigating risks inconflict and crisis – by ICOM SEE, together with
INTERCOM, ICOM Zambia, ICOM Tanzania, andICOM ArabA trans-national network for social museology – byMINOM, together with ICOM Brazil, ICOM El
Salvador, ICOFOM-LAC, ICOM Sicily-IT,
University of Catania, Universidade Lusófona
Lisboa, MINOM Portugal, and ICOM Barbados
Objets de Mémoire – by ICOM COSTUME togetherwith ICOM Madagascar

INSTAGRAM
39.5k followers +21.52%
882 posts

LINKEDIN
51.681 followers +31.8%679k impressions

FACEBOOK
51.8k followers
1.3 million people reached +23%

ICOM
ONLINEWEBSITE
916,923 pages views
70 news articles

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ICOM Voices
24 articles
21,235 unique pageviews

BREAKDOWN OF INCOME AND EXPENSES FOR 2023
ICOM's membership dues reached €4,667,850 in 2023, representing
an increase of 12.6%.
This increase is mainly due to the growth in membership numbers to57,208 in 2023.
In 2023, ICOM received a total amount of €736,355, from:
European Research Executive Agency (REA): €262,625
Subsidy from National Committee ICOM GREECE concerning the« ICOM Red List of Greek Cultural Objects and Risk »: €15,000
Subsidy from the Pegaso University, for the «Conference onMuseums, Technology and the Future of Cultural Heritage »:€16,350
Donations from the ICOM Foundation: €300,000
Financial support from the Getty Foundation for the International
Committee ICOM-CC annual conference: €74,000
Financial support from the Getty Foundation for the International
Committee CIDOC annual conference: €41,395
Financial support for hiring apprentices : €8,000

REVENUES
Exceptional income
Joint operations
Financial income
Other income
Subsidies
Membership dues

EXPENSES
Financial expenses
Exceptional expenses
Expenses allocated to programmes
Depreciation and provisions
Support to the network
Salaries, social charges and taxes
Operating expenses

Please, point on the pie-chart sectors to see the related data

2023
Resources
Minus operating expenses
Minus salaries, social charges and taxes
Minus depreciation expenses
Operating result

5,800,649
2,748,768
2,140,097
502,130
409,654

Joint operations

80,130Financial income
Financial expenses
Financial result

222,535
3,201
219,334

Exceptional result

0Final result

709,118

Voluntary contributions

0Average staff number

31All figures expressed in euros

SUPPORT TO THE NETWORK
Subsidies for the Regional Alliances
Funds allocated to the Standing Committees and Working groups
Regular projects funded
Solidarity projects funded
Subsidies for the International Committees
Partnerships
Bursaries allocated to attend ICs annual conferences
Projects to support Ukraine

Please, point on the pie-chart sectors to see the related data

INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEES' WEBSITES

Concept
ICOM Secretariat
EditorEmma Nardi, President / Medea Ekner, Director General
Editorial coordination, graphic design and redaction
Communications and Public Relations Department

Websitewww.icom.museum

Social media | @icomofficiel

CONTACT

Emailicom.network@icom.museum