Art Culture Heritage COP27
Art Culture Heritage COP27 is an extraordinary one-day gathering of cultural organisations committed to climate action, organised during COP27 at one of Sinai’s leading cultural institutions, the Sharm El Sheikh Museum.
As a member of the Climate Heritage Network (CHN), ICOM is present on the margins of COP27 to participate in a full day of programming billed as Art Culture Heritage COP27 (11th November 2022). These events are organised by CHN in partnership with Culture COP, with the support of the American Research Centre in Egypt (ARCE) and the NGO Julie’s Bicycle.
We believe that museums have a unique value to bring to the fight against climate change and in imagining sustainable futures.
ICOM
How can culture contribute to climate action? Princess Dana Firas of Jordan explains how “culture is able to mobilize us in taking action and make changes, which can also be uncomfortable. It allows us to engage multiple voices in a meaningful way.”
ICOM Statement
A recent statement from the ICOM released a response for the climate activists atacking artworks around the world.
Following the recent climate activism actions in museums, the International Council of Museums (ICOM) wishes to acknowledge and share both the concerns expressed by museums regarding the safety of collections and the concerns of climate activists as we face an environmental catastrophe that threatens life on Earth. ICOM sees the choice of museums as a backdrop for these climate protests as a testament of their symbolic power and relevance in the discussions around the climate emergency.
ICOM wishes to recall the role of museums as key actors in initiating and supporting climate action with their communities and commends their commitment to this mission demonstrated through educational programmes, dedicated exhibitions, community outreach and research. ICOM calls attention to the impact that these demonstrations could have on the work of museum professionals and volunteers who strive to protect and promote these valuable items of heritage for the enjoyment of the public. To reach the full transformative potential that museums have for sustainable development, ICOM wishes for museums to be seen as allies in facing the common threat of climate change.
The statement was signet by other 92 Museum Leaders. The museum group said the protestors “severely underestimate the fragility” of the works, calling the art “irreplaceable.”
Photo by Una Laurencic on Pexels.