We are pleased to be present at the 26th ICOM General Conference in Prague from 20-28 August. This years theme is the Power of Museums.  Our hosts created an amazing hybrid program with keynote speakers like Hilda Flavia Nakabuye and Margarita Reyes Suarez,  round-table sessions, mentor sessions and workshops. To see the full program in Prague please visit the website here.

COMCOL organizes 3 sessions for their members jointly with other committees:

22 August 2022, 16:00–17:30, Prague Congress Centre
HYBRID FORMAT
Organizing committee:COMCOL, ICOM SE
Room: Meeting Room 3.2
Moderator: Alexandra Bounia
Panel: Henry McGhie | Curating Tomorrow, Catherine Snel|SANLAM Archivist & Chair ICOM South Africa, Nara Galvao | Director Instituto Ricardo Brennand Brazil

Past, present and future tense
In this session we revisit the past by returning to the roots of COMCOL. From the legacy of SAMDOK we look at the collecting practices of the present. Which developments in contemporary collecting can be identified, and how do these feed into ambitions for the future and for sustainable collecting practices? We have invited museum professionals and ICOM members to explore, exchange ideas and challenge each other to build sustainable collecting practices. During this session we are inviting ICOM members to explore with us, exchange and challenge each other to build sustainable collecting practices.

23 August 2022, 14:30–16:00, Prague Congress Centre
HYBRID FORMAT
Organizing committees: COMCOL, CIDOC
Room: Club A
Moderator: Leen Beyers | Format: paper presentations

Breaking down, building up: rethinking collecting practices
In the joint session of CIDOC and COMCOL we will proceed with conversations started in 2021 around rethinking museum practices: decolonizing collections. How to look at power structures that surround collections and collecting. How to dismantle or shift these structures in an aim for a more just approach to heritage? Together with our members we would like to exchange experiences, best and worst cases and build on our capacity to change for a better future.

23 August 2022, 16:30–18:00, Prague Congress Centre
HYBRID FORMAT
Organizing committees: COMCOL, ICOM US, IC ETHICS, ICEE
Room: South Hall 2A
Moderator: Julie Leclair | Format: paper presentations
Just and Committed, Collecting, Curating, and Exchanging for Tomorrow

In a time of social and political division, growing concerns about the climate, environmental degradation and demographic change, many museums increasingly see themselves challenged to play a role in complex questions of racism, inequality, health and well being, placemaking and active citizenship. During our joint session, we will, together with our members, reflect and discuss the ethical challenges of contemporary collecting and curating when thinking of a different tomorrow.

Off-site meeting
On the 25th of August from 9:00-16:00 we will have and exclusive offsite visit to the Prague City Gallery and Městská Knihovna where we will visit the exhibitions and meet with the team and artists for a discussion about ethics of collecting & the arts.