Dear all, I am very happy about this discussion and I thank especially our 2 colleagues which brought an overview into this very diverse meanings. I would like to clarify things and bring in my personal point of view not as chair of Advisory with the raised finger!. 1. I think it is really the duty of the National Committees to motivate young colleagues to become member and to engage themselves for work and bringing ideas within ICOM. As I know (I had been 6 years president of ICOM Austria and the same number of years chair of ICMS – therefore I am really belonging to the “olds”) in both committees we had and have a remarkable number of younger members, who are coming to seminars and conferences, who are in the board of these committees etc. National committees have really to take care how to bring enthusiasm also to younger members. 2. It is really a good idea, to enforce within ICOM the electronic information media for a more modern and quicker information, but it cannot be the duty of ICOM secretariat to establish an own apparatus for this because the whole small staff is even now overloaded with its worldwide contacts, bringing out information, organising conferences etc. etc. National and International Committees could help together to make such a platform of local and international information exchange. 3. I do not really like the idea of a special group of young ICOM members. We all have to learn how to work closer together, to understand not only the cultural diversities but also the diversities of different ages, meanings etc. There I would like to mention that ICOM has not only to reach young members but also with more intensity and help members of the poor countries, where help is very necessary – they are really still too low present within ICOM! 4. I think there should be worked out a memorandum about these ideas which could be discussed as well in EC as also in IC next year. 5. Finally I ask you to be indulgent with my English which is far away from being perfect. 6. Best greetings your Günther Dembski -- HR Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günther Dembski Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien Direktor des Münzkabinetts Burgring 5 A-1010 Wien Tel.: ++43 (0)1 525 24 380 Fax: ++43 (0)1 525 24 353 email: [log in to unmask] ICOM International Council of Museums Président du Comité consultatif Chairperson of the Advisory Committee Presidente del Comité Consultativo Maison de l'UNESCO 1, rue Miollis F-75732 Paris cedex 15 email: [log in to unmask] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Change ICOM-L subscription options, unsubscribe, and search the archives at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/icom-l.html