{"id":61432,"date":"2024-12-17T16:42:43","date_gmt":"2024-12-17T14:42:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/icom.museum\/?page_id=61432"},"modified":"2026-01-22T18:07:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T16:07:10","slug":"icom-resolutions","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/icom.museum\/en\/resources\/standards-guidelines\/icom-resolutions\/","title":{"rendered":"ICOM Resolutions"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 class=\"headline\">This page provides essential information about the ICOM Resolutions, their significance for the organisation, and how they contribute to shaping the future of museums worldwide.<\/h2>\n<div class=\"separator\">\n<p><strong>What are the ICOM Resolutions?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>As defined in the <a href=\"https:\/\/icom.museum\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Statutes_2023_EN.pdf\">ICOM Statutes<\/a> (Article 19 &#8211; Section 2),\u00a0ICOM Resolutions\u00a0are\u00a0formal statements adopted every three years\u00a0by the Ordinary General Assembly\u00a0in the framework of the General Conference. They\u00a0reflect\u00a0the\u00a0collective vision, priorities, and commitments\u00a0of ICOM\u2019s membership\u00a0by\u00a0addressing\u00a0broad and significant challenges facing museums and cultural heritage. They guide\u00a0ICOM\u2019s mission,\u00a0objectives\u00a0and contribution to its Strategic Plan.<\/p>\n<p>Since 1946, ICOM has adopted\u00a0numerous\u00a0Resolutions focused on capacity building, cross-border collaboration, combating illicit trafficking, advocacy, education, and the protection of both tangible and intangible heritage. Their purpose is twofold: to articulate the official stance of the organisation,\u00a0and to\u00a0provide\u00a0actionable guidance for the museum sector.<\/p>\n<p>Upon adoption,\u00a0ICOM organs and bodies are expected to work towards\u00a0the implementation of the Resolutions within the following three-year period.<\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\">\n<p><strong>Why are Resolutions important?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<ul>\n<li>They represent the collective voice of ICOM Members,<\/li>\n<li>They provide actionable steps aligned with ICOM\u2019s mission and objectives,<\/li>\n<li>They play a key role in implementing ICOM\u2019s Strategic Plan,<\/li>\n<li>They advocate for the interests and values of the global museum community,<\/li>\n<li>They leave a lasting legacy of each ICOM General Conference.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Key Resolutions<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Since its establishment in 1946, ICOM has adopted numerous Resolutions addressing critical issues and shaping its priorities. These Resolutions have consistently focused on key themes, including capacity building, knowledge exchange, cross-border activities, combating the illicit trafficking of cultural and natural heritage, education, and advocacy on a global stage\u2026 etc giving museums and professionals a strong voice worldwide.<\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\">\n<p><strong>They have led to the establishment of standards for museum professionals<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Adoption of Ethical Standards:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>ICOM established the first <a href=\"https:\/\/icom.museum\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/ICOMs-Resolutions_1986_Eng.pdf\"><em>Code of Professional Ethics<\/em> through <em>Resolution No. 13<\/em> <\/a>during the 15<sup>th<\/sup> ICOM General Assembly in Buenos Aires, Argentina (1986), setting a global benchmark for ethical practices in the museum profession.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Capacity Building as a Core Mission:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Since its creation, ICOM has consistently prioritised training and professional development for museum professionals, ensuring they are equipped to address evolving challenges.<\/li>\n<li>Resolutions have recurrently emphasised the importance of capacity building, reinforcing ICOM\u2019s commitment to strengthening the global museum community.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"separator\">\n<p><strong>These Resolutions have laid the groundwork for enduring programmes and initiatives<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>International Museum Day<\/strong> : Established to promote the role of museums globally (<a href=\"https:\/\/icom.museum\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/ICOMs-Resolutions_1953_Eng.pdf\">4<sup>th<\/sup> ICOM General Assembly, Milan, Italy, 1953<\/a>, <em>12<sup>th<\/sup> ICOM General Assembly, Moscow, USSR, 28 May 1977<\/em>).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Strengthening International Cooperation<\/strong>: Supporting the creation of organisations like , advocating for the voices of museums professionals at the international level (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.unesco.org\/en\">UNESCO<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wipo.int\/portal\/en\/index.html\">WIPO<\/a>), or strengthening the cooperation with partners institutions (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ifla.org\/\">IFLA<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ica.org\/\">ICA<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.icomos.org\/fr\">ICOMOS<\/a>).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Positioning ICOM as a Key Partner in <\/strong><strong>the Protection of Cultural Heritage During and After Armed Conflict<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>ICOM has raised awareness on the importance of inventories through initiatives like <em>Object ID<\/em>, a standard to document and identify cultural objects effectively.<\/li>\n<li>Advocacy efforts to encourage national adoption of pivotal international conventions, including:\n<ul>\n<li>The 1954 UNESCO Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict,<\/li>\n<li>The 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export, and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property,<\/li>\n<li>The 1995 UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"separator\">\n<p><strong>What is the difference between ICOM Resolutions and Recommendations?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Resolutions<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Adopted by the General Assembly of ICOM, <em>Resolutions<\/em> address broad and significant issues relevant to museums and cultural heritage. They reflect the collective will and official stance of ICOM and its members on topics such as ethics, heritage preservation, and responses to global crises, while aligning with the organisation\u2019s Strategic Plan, mission and objectives.<\/p>\n<p><em>Resolutions <\/em>provide a general framework for action on issues of importance to the global museum community. Upon adoption, ICOM organs and bodies likely to be affected by the Resolutions are expected to work towards their implementation within three (3) years.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Recommendations<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>Recommendations<\/em> follow a statutory process as outlined in Article 12, Section 2, of the ICOM Statutes. Proposed by National and International Committees, they are voted on by members of the Advisory Council.<\/p>\n<p>The scope of <em>Recommendations<\/em> covers, but is not limited to, the internal functioning of the Organisation, the implementation of the Strategic Plan or the resolutions adopted by the General Assembly.<\/p>\n<p>While non-binding, <em>Recommendations<\/em> are submitted to the Executive Board for consideration. They serve as voluntary guidance, leaving implementation up to the discretion of the Executive Board.<\/p>\n<p>Both <em>Resolutions <\/em>and <em>Recommendations<\/em> contribute to ICOM\u2019s mission by shaping the global museum landscape, but <em>Resolutions<\/em> tend to have a more significant symbolic and strategic weight, while <em>Recommendations<\/em> are more focused on day-to-day implementation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Key Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/icom.museum\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ICOM-2025-Resolutions-EN.pdf\">ICOM Resolutions<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/icom.museum\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ADM_Resolutions_Procedure_2024_EN_UPDATED.pdf\"><strong>Resolutions Procedure<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/icom.museum\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/EN_OGA2022_StrategicPlan_Final_.pdf\"><strong>ICOM Strategic Plan 2022 \u2013 2028<\/strong><\/a>: Understand and discover how the ICOM Resolutions are connected to the ICOM\u2019s Strategic Plan.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/icom.museum\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Resolutions_1946-2022_en.pdf\"><strong>Past ICOM Resolutions<\/strong><strong>: <\/strong><\/a>Explore Resolutions from previous ICOM General Conferences.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This page provides essential information about the ICOM Resolutions, their significance for the organisation, and how they contribute to shaping the future of museums worldwide. What are the ICOM Resolutions? As defined in the ICOM Statutes (Article 19 &#8211; Section 2),\u00a0ICOM Resolutions\u00a0are\u00a0formal statements adopted every three years\u00a0by the Ordinary General Assembly\u00a0in the framework of the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":2971,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-61432","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>ICOM Resolutions - International Council of Museums<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/icom.museum\/en\/resources\/standards-guidelines\/icom-resolutions\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"ICOM Resolutions - International Council of Museums\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This page provides essential information about the ICOM Resolutions, their significance for the organisation, and how they contribute to shaping the future of museums worldwide. 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