This article was written by Christian Baars, Co-Chair of ICOM UK. This article is part of our coverage of ICOM’s 2025 General Conference.
The 2025 ICOM General Conference in Dubai offered an exceptional platform for ICOM UK to strengthen its international standing and influence, advance heritage sector priorities and forge meaningful collaborations across the global museum community. Over an intensive week of governance meetings, conference sessions, diplomatic engagement and targeted relationship-building, the UK delegation played a visible and impactful role.
The conference theme, The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities, shaped three days of rich discussion on digital futures, community engagement, decolonisation and the evolving responsibilities of museums worldwide. ICOM UK representatives included our Co-Chair Dr Christian Baars, Trustee Jenny Lea and Strategic Direct Kristina Broughton, in addition to about 40 ICOM UK members, many of which are actively involved with ICOM’s International Committees. Our representatives took part across the programme, including Kristina’s participation in an INTERCOM (International Committee for Museum Management) panel on outsourcing and freelancing, which highlighted the need for sustainable capacity building and responsible commissioning in the sector.
A central strategic achievement was the successful engagement of Baroness Debbonaire, who joined ICOM UK as our guest in Dubai, to deliver the keynote at our evening reception hosted jointly with the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office at the British Consulate. Across four high-level meetings with global leaders in decolonisation and museum governance, Baroness Debbonaire gained valuable insight into international progress on ICOM’s strategic mission in the global museum sector. Her presence elevated the visibility of ICOM UK, signalling our commitment to bridging the gap between cultural policy and museum practice.
The ICOM UK evening reception brought together more than 60 representatives from ICOM UK members, partner national committees, the Emirati cultural sector, and diplomatic and funding bodies. Our messaging centred on museums as powerful agents of cultural diplomacy and highlighted ICOM UK’s leadership through initiatives such as the museum Guide to decolonisation focussed on Ukraine and our current project on removing barriers to international collaboration.
The General Assembly passed a number of resolutions, two of which ICOM UK had supported – one on Emergency Preparedness and another establishing a new Decolonisation Standing Committee. The election of an Executive Board that includes six individuals with whom we already have positive relationships further enhances our ability to engage meaningfully with ICOM’s governing bodies in the years ahead.
Throughout the week, ICOM UK invested deeply in relationship-building – holding almost 100 targeted conversations across National and International Committees. These discussions strengthened collaboration on digitisation, community partnerships, museum governance, North–South relationships and new technologies. We also advanced practical international support, including facilitating conservation capacity building on a regional level in West Africa, and coordinating a fundraising drive to enable museum colleagues from Palestine, Sudan and Ukraine to attend the conference.
With new partnerships, enhanced visibility and strengthened global alignment, ICOM UK’s presence in Dubai has laid firm foundations for the years ahead – ensuring the UK remains an active, respected and forward-looking voice in the international museum community.
