Mutual Learning, Solidarity and Professional Exchange Across Challenging Contexts

Museum and heritage professionals working in contexts affected by conflict, sanctions, political isolation, displacement, and long-term instability often face barriers to training, international exchange, mobility, and access to resources. Yet they continue to safeguard collections, preserve cultural memory, support communities, and protect heritage under exceptionally challenging circumstances.
Museums Connect Without Borders is a one-year international solidarity initiative supported by ICOM SAREC and developed in collaboration with partner committees across the ICOM network. The project creates a digital space for mutual learning, professional exchange, and collaboration among museum and heritage professionals across regions and contexts.
Rather than focusing solely on challenges, the programme highlights practical experiences, innovative solutions, and professional knowledge emerging from difficult circumstances, recognising that valuable expertise is developed everywhere.

What the Programme Includes

Throughout 2026, participants will have access to:

• • Six international webinars led by experts and partner committees across the ICOM network
  • An online collaborative workshop bringing together participants from different regions
  • Opportunities for peer exchange and international networking
  • A multilingual practical toolkit developed from project outcomes
  • A documentary capturing experiences, lessons learned, and project impact
  • Certificate of participation will be provided upon full completion of the programme

Webinar Themes

The webinar series will explore:

• Documentation Under Crisis

• Ethical Communication and Community Engagement

• Emergency Conservation Practices

• Digital Preservation in Low-Resource Environments

• Museums, Conflict and Social Responsibility

• Testimonies from the Field

Each session will combine professional expertise, case studies, practical guidance, and lived experiences from professionals working in challenging environments.

Who Can Participate?

The program is designed for Museum professionals, Heritage practitioners, Collection managers, Conservators, Curators, Documentation Specialists, Communication professionals, Researchers and students in museum and heritage fields.

Participation is open internationally. The program will give particular attention to professionals working in conflict-affected, sanctioned, isolated, or otherwise fragile contexts.

Languages and Accessibility

Reducing barriers to participation is a core objective of the project.
The programme will be delivered in English, Persian, and Arabic (Modern Standard Arabic/Fusha) through a combination of multilingual sessions, interpretation, subtitles, translations, and supporting materials whenever possible.

Project outputs, including the documentary and toolkit, will also be developed with multilingual accessibility in mind to ensure broader regional reach and long-term usability.

Registration

Registration is required. Registered participants will receive webinar links, programme updates, and access to project resources.

Further information regarding dates, speakers, and schedules will be announced progressively throughout the year

Join museum and heritage professionals from around the world in a unique program dedicated to solidarity, mutual learning, professional resilience, and international collaboration.

Deadline: August 10, 2026

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Curated by Niloofar Yazdkhasti
Vice Chair, ICOM COMMS

Lead Committee:
ICOM COMMS

Contributing Partners:
ICOM INTERCOM, ICOM DOCUMENTATION, ICOM EXHIBITIONS, ICOM ICAMT, ICOM Finland, ICOM ICAMT, ICOM ICTOP

Supporting Partners:
ICOM AFRICA, ICOM Austria, ICOM CONSERVATION, ICOM Guatemala, ICOM ICME, ICOM LAC, ICOM SOMUS, The National Museum of Afghanistan

Supported by:
ICOM SAREC

Together, we aim to strengthen solidarity, visibility, and professional exchange across borders and circumstances.