The national committee of ICOM in the Kingdom of Spain, ICOM Spain, and the regional alliance of national committees in Europe, ICOM EUROPE, have worked together in the planning of the International Seminar ‘Museums, Tourism, and Innovation. Towards a sustainable future’, which will take place in the framework of the fourth edition of CM Malaga, Culture & Museums International Tech Forum.

Over 20 experts and professionals linked to museum organisations from all over the world will take part in this seminar, in collaboration with CM Málaga – June 17th and 18th in FYCMA (Trade Fairs and Congress Center of Málaga), part of the Málaga City Council.

Thus, the programme will feature renowned museum and tourism professionals addressing topical issues that highlight the close relationship between museum institutions, tourism, and sustainable development, with innovation as the common thread.  The intention is to generate a forum for expert debate, open to museum and tourism professionals and future professionals (students), to analyse the state of the art, present successful experiences, and good practices, and propose future actions to promote a harmonious relationship between tourism and museums from a sustainable perspective. Some of the represented museums will be the Louvre Museum in Paris, the Accademia and Bargello museums in Florence, the Archaeological Park of the Colosseum in Rome, the MOMA in New York, and the National Carriage Museum in Lisbon. As for the Spanish museums, the National Archaeological Museum, the Prado Museum, and the Museum of Pontevedra will be present.

‘Convinced of the strategic role that museums can play as credible institutions that promote social change, the need to holistically address the current climate emergency and global tourism development, and the importance of innovation as a vehicle for achieving positive results, ICOM Spain and ICOM EUROPE, with the collaboration of CM Malaga, are making this International Seminar possible’, the organisation stated.

The International Council of Museums (ICOM), an international organisation created in 1946, is a non-governmental organisation (NGO), which maintains a formal relationship with UNESCO and has consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. It is the largest international organisation of museums and museum professionals, whose purpose is to research, perpetuate, and transmit to society the world’s cultural and natural heritage, present and future, tangible and intangible.

As a forum of experts, it makes recommendations on cultural heritage issues, approves the definition of a museum, promotes capacity building and advances knowledge. ICOM is the voice of professionals in the international arena and raises public cultural awareness through global networks and cooperative programmes.

ICOM has over 52,000 members in 131 countries and territories, 120 national committees and 34 international committees.

CM Málaga, Culture & Museums International Tech Forum, is the leading event for knowledge, inspiration and business for professionals, companies, and institutions in the cultural industry. It annually brings together all the actors involved in the digital revolution and transformation of this sector towards a more sustainable, inclusive, and accessible model for an increasingly technological society. The event has established itself as an international benchmark meeting point to showcase technology, innovation and the most cutting-edge projects that are driving a new era in the global management of museums, cultural centres, and heritage. To this end, it has an extensive programme of contents that includes an exhibition area, training spaces and debate forums with major themes such as digital humanism, sustainability, and social welfare.  It annually brings together leading professionals related to museum management, technology and services companies, museums and international organisations, public administration, and the cultural industry, as well as academia to access new business opportunities, synergies, funding, and innovative projects to lead the conversation about the future of the field of culture.

ICOM’s proposal for a Charter of Principles on Museums and Cultural Tourism, formulated at the conference held in Peru and Bolivia in 2000, or the 2009 theme for the celebration of International Museum Day, ‘Museums and Tourism’ are symptomatic of our organisation’s interest in the development of ethical, responsible and environmentally compatible tourism, showing how cultural and natural heritage can contribute to the establishment of new, mutually beneficial relationships between tourists and local communities. Recently, the International Committee for Monuments and Sites, ICOMOS, adopted the ICOMOS International Charter on Cultural Heritage Tourism (2022): Strengthening the protection of cultural heritage and the resilience of communities through responsible and sustainable tourism management. Furthermore, after adopting the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, in 2018 ICOM created a Sustainability Working Group, and at the end of 2023 presented a new International Committee for Museums and Sustainable Development, ICOM SUSTAIN, whose purpose, organisation and Board of Directors has been defined in the first months of 2024.

Registration for the contents of CM Malaga, including the International Seminar ‘Museums, Tourism, and Innovation. Towards a sustainable future’, is available at the website www.cmmalaga.com.