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II International Conference “Sustainable Dialogues” took place from 6 to 9 September in Saint-Petersburg. The main theme was formulated as “Museums through the local gaze”. During the 4 days of the conference, experts from Russia and the Kingdom of Netherlands were exchanging experience of museums interaction with local communities and methods of providing access to cultural heritage for diverse visitors.
At the opening ceremony welcoming speeches were performed by: Deputy Director of the State Hermitage Georgy Vilinbakhov, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation on international cultural cooperation Mikhail Shvydkoy, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands to the Russian Federation Renee Jones-Bos, Director General of the Center for International Cooperation DutchCulture Cees de Graaff, Executive Director of the ICOM Endowment Fund Bjorn Stenvers and ICOM Russia Vice-President Sergey Bogatyrev. Also, welcome addresses for participants were sent by the Adviser to the President of the Russian Federation on Culture and Arts Vladimir Tolstoy, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Culture of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Alexander Sholokhov and Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky.
Plenary session dedicated to the theme “Museums as a Platform for Education and Mediation of the Social Relations” took place after the opening ceremony. Its mission reposed in demonstration of museums’ abilities to solve social problems through educational programmers and projects.
On the second day of the conference, two thematic sections simultaneously opened. Within the section “Museums as Agents of Social Inclusion” participants shared examples of museums interaction with various social groups, especially with people having disabilities. They also presented their programs dedicated to formation of accessible for all visitors environment in museum. After the reports, participants of the section attended master-class “Oak Birthday” which occurred at the State Russian Museгm, Mikhailovsky Garden. The master-class represented implementation of a museum art-therapeutic program.
The section “Museums as Local Economy Driver” was devoted to the role of museums in sustainable social and economic development of territory. Participants discussed contribution of cultural institutes to local economy and looked upon examples of such an influence in Russia and the Netherlands. Russian specialists raised the question of the necessity to adapt calculating methods for estimating the influence of museums on local economy in our country.
A rich cultural program was prepared for participants of the conference. On 6 September, they visited anniversary exhibition in the State Museum and Exhibition Centre ROSPHOTO. On 7 September, an excursion in the Restoration and Storage Center of the State Hermitage Museum occurred, and on the last day of the conference, there was a spectacular tour in the State Museum-Preserve “Tsarskoye Selo”. Cultural heritage of our country and hospitality of Russian museums impressed our Dutch colleagues.
The conference has not just facilitated exchange of experience, but also fortified cultural collaboration of the Kingdom of Netherlands and the Russian Federation and strengthened contacts between museum representatives of two countries. The organizers of event, ICOM Russia and Center for International Cooperation DutchCulture, are preparing detailed report on reached arrangements and mutual plans of museums from two countries which will be implemented in the near future.
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