MUSEOLOGIA E PATRIMÔNIO - vol.I n o 1 - jul/dez de 2008 http://revistamuseologiaepatrimonio.mast.br/index.php/ppgpmus 106 PPG-PMUS Inaugural Address Alissandra Cummins* 1. Introduction Vice Rector, Ministry of Culture Representative, President of the Federal Council of Museology, Pro Rector, Colleagues, Students, Distinguished Guests, please accept special greetings on behalf of the International Council of Museums 1 . I am greatly honoured to have been invited on behalf of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) to address you in the context of this most prestigious event, and to thus make a contribution, however modest, to the enrichment of the vital and energetic museum profession in Brazil which this new programme now represents. I am also pleased to address this body particularly so since the International Council of Museums over which I have the privilege to preside has determined its intention to work more proactively with national and local museums organizations and training entities in addressing strategic issues which are affecting the museum’s community. Being myself from the broader region of Latin America and the Caribbean, I am deeply appreciative of museological programmes which seek to move beyond the traditional museum with it’s heavy reliance on object collections for unquestioned validation, which cannot adequately address the needs of its most critical and discerning audience, the local populace. Instead what is truly the heritage of our region are the sound, syntax, light, color, rhythm, scent, movement, space, texture and taste that complex blend of intangibles, which combined with the sub-conscious retention of memory, and the deliberate recalling of tradition orally which reclaim a fragmented heritage for which we need to ind new ways to communicate to visitors, as well as ourselves. My paper will therefore offer some perspectives on the global museum situation where both governments and communities wrestle with issues of identity versus insularity, self-worth and self-empowerment in the task of constructing/reconstructing and in some instances deconstructing- histories and heroes, as part of the process of nation-building. The establishment of appropriate standards of practice in the museum management ield are thus very much part of the process. Unirio’s kind invitation to address you today has provided the opportunity to discuss issues related to the principles of ethics and justice. Let me just offer an outline of what I will cover within this address. I will start with the global – outlining in a broad context, the establishment of ICOM, its mission and mandate. I will draw reference briely to the historical development of museum training and museology in the context of ICOM. Then I will move to address some of the issues facing the museum community today which need to be addressed in terms of preparation of new generations of museum professionals. And inally, I will outline the strategies ICOM has developed and planned for implementation, detailing some recent initiatives being undertaken and then draw some conclusions to demonstrate the contribution which ICOM has made in achieving these goals. Conferência * International Council of Museums/ICOM 1 Postgraduate Programme in Museology and Heritage – Oficial Opening of the I Academic Semester of the Programme. Inaugural Address delivered by Alissandra Cummins, President of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), at Universidade Federal do Estado Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 21st, 2006Postgraduate Programme in Museology and Heritage – Oficial Opening of the I Academic Semester of the Programme. Inaugural Address delivered by Alissandra Cummins, President of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), at Universidade Federal do Estado Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 21 st , 2006