At the beginning of November, ERM’s Research Director Pille Runnel and Research Secretary Agnes Aljas delivered a presentation at the ICOM ICME conference held during the ICOM (International Council of Museums) General Conference in Dubai. In their talk, they introduced how new and creative uses of digitised cultural heritage, as well as the application of AI in heritage interpretation, are reshaping understandings of ethnographic museum collections. The ERM researchers emphasised that the role of museums extends beyond the preservation of collections, encompassing their active interpretation within today’s technological environment and the meaningful involvement of communities in this interpretive process.
The ICOM General Conference takes place every three years. This year’s event in Dubai carried the overarching theme “The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities”, focusing particularly on young audiences and the transformations in the museum field brought about by technological shifts. The conference brought together nearly 6,000 participants.
ICOM ICME (International Committee for Museums and Collections of Ethnography) is an international subcommittee for ethnographic museums and collections, bringing together more than 1,500 members—experts and professionals in the field. The ICME conference featured museum practitioners dedicated to preserving and interpreting the heritage of diverse cultures and communities.
