The meaning of ICOM lies in the international committees: in them important
issues are raised and debated, professional contacts maintained. Their
activities are the blood of ICOM, carrying around the oxygen that makes
ICOM thrive and grow and not suffocate. At least this is true in principle.

And yet, I think the models upon which they are created and maintained are
too stiff, too inflexible to meet the demands of current museal
developments. The international committees are constructed to last, through
ups and downs, through near-death conditions as well as revitalisations.
Sometimes you hear members speak about "their" committee with the loyalty a
sports fan speak about his/hers club.

I think we are focusing too much upon the strenght and formalities and
duration of the organisational framework of the international committees
and too little on themes, on content, on intentions, on results.

What about light, perhaps shortlasting, structures and heavy themes?

Let me try to explain with examples:

Museums and cultural diversity is a theme that is relevant to many
committees. This is also the case with cultural tourism and museums. What
is happening now is that each international committee - if they find it
relevant - discuss this problem within themselves. Very often these
internal discussions are hampered by the fact that there are only a few
people in each committee that participates in the debate.

Now: what if we had an international committee set up to last for say six
years, constituted for the sole purpose of discussing cultural diversity?
Or cultourism? What if we had an international committee set up for six
years discussing the educational methods in modern art museums? Or a
committee just for discussing the meaning in modern society of putting
indigenous cultures into natural history museums, while the culture of the
"whites" are found in the history museums? Or an international committee
debating repatriation issues?

OK, the consequences for distributing funds would have to be discussed and
the criteria for being members of the advisory council may have to be
changed and the whole concept of voting and non-voting members may have to
be reconsidered. But we are moving towards a society more fluid than
before, were people (including museum professionals) are looking for arenas
that give them a chance to debate exactly the issues that are now
important. Electronic communication can help us handle this fluidity
organisationally much easier than before.

We soon risk loosing the most valuable initiatives to other arenas. Think
about it!

Per B. Rekdal
ICME chairperson


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