International Council of Museums (ICOM), Slovenia
History
The museums of Slovenia joined the activities of ICOM in 1991 and has since functioned in line with ICOM programmes. The first head for two terms was Gregor Moder, then the director of the City Museum of Ljubljana (1991–1997). His successor was Ralf Čeplak Mencin, who also headed the council for two terms (1997–2003). From 2003 onwards the head of the council is Nina Zdravič Polič. In 2003 ICOM Slovenia became a member of the newly-established ICOM Europe.
Programme / Mission
ICOM Slovenia is a recognised professional society which promotes international museum relations and networking in the field of education and intercultural dialogue. Through its actions, the Slovene National Committee strengthens international co-operation by spreading Slovenia's cultural history and heritage beyond its borders and by enhancing the distinct features of its cultural heritage. At the same time, ICOM Slovenia actively contributes to a greater openness of Slovenia by establishing joint forums and network co-operation through international meetings and conferences it organises in Slovenia.
It has the status of an association in the public interest.
All individual members of ICOM get the ICOM News and Study Series plus a membership card which permits free access to the majority of world museums. Institutions also get the Museum Magazine published by UNESCO and three membership cards. All members are eligible to become active members of one international committee.
The Slovene ICOM Committee was established as an Association in 1991 and it has functioned in line with ICOM programmes. All projects have been financed by the Ministry of Culture.
The main task of the Slovene ICOM Committee is informing Slovene museum experts on international events in the field of museology and at the same time the presentation of Slovene museum activities internationally. All individual members of ICOM get the ICOM News and Study Series plus a membership card which permits free access to the majority of world museums. Institutions also get the Museum Magazine published by UNESCO and three membership cards. All members are eligible to become active members of one international committee. ICOM Slovenia has hosted several conferences, including in 1993 an annual ICOM/CIDOC conference on museum documentation, in 1994 an ICOM/ICR annual conference on regional museums in collaboration with Austria and Italy, and in 2001 a conference of CEICOM (the Central European ICOM Committee). In 2003 it also hosted three international ICOM Committees – CIMUSET (International Committee for Museums and Collections of Science and Technology), MPR (Committee for Marketing and Public Relations) and ICTOP (International Committee for the Training of Personnel). Four Slovene board members currently sit on ICOM international committees, and Dr Orest Jarh, Director of the Technical Museum of Slovenia, has been a member of the Executive Committee of ICOM/CIMUSET since 2001. In 2003 ICOM Slovenia became a member of the newly-established ICOM Europe.
International Cooperation
Four Slovene board members currently sit on ICOM international committees, and Orest Jarh, Director of the Technical Museum of Slovenia, has been a member of the Executive Committee of ICOM/CIMUSET since 2001.
In more than fifteen years, a number of ICOM conferences have been organised jointly with other ICOM committees and collaborators such as: in 1993 CIDOC (annual conference on museum documentation), in 1994 ICR (annual conference on regional museums, in collaboration with Austria and Italy), in 2001 CEICOM (conference of the Central European ICOM Committee), in 2003 three concurrent IC meetings CIMUSET (International Committee for Museums and Collections of Science and Technology), ICTOP (International Committee for the Training of Personnel) and MPR (Committee for Marketing and Public Relations), in 2004 IC GLASS (International Committee for Museums and Collections of Glass) and ICFA (International Committee for Museums and Collections of Fine Arts), in 2005 ICR (annual conference on regional museums) and CIMAM Board meetings (International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art), in 2006 ICOM Europe For Peace and Cultural Diversity Conference. In August 2007, an ICOM-CC Glass and Ceramics Working Group conference took place in Nova Gorica, Slovenia. ICOM Slovenia continues its involvement in International Council of Museums (ICOM), Europe activities and has played an active role in the 2008 Tour and Conference Between the Old and the New Europe, as well as in pending projects. ICOM Slovenia continues to co-operate in projects with ICOM SEE. It is thus part of the regional long- term project of Revitalisation of Cultural and Natural Heritage in South East Europe, in 2009 a special workshop on photographing museum objects was organised by ICOM Slovenia at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Skopje.
Awards
Some museums with particularly interesting collections have won important awards. For example, the Ljubljana Brewery Museum is the holder of a Council of Europe Award, the First World War Museum in Kobarid was awarded the title of European Museum of the Year in 1993, and the Idrija Museum took the prestigious Luigi Michelletti award in 1997.
Education
All events organised by ICOM Slovenia such as workshops, symposia (f. e. in 2009 there was 4. International module of Summer School of Museology, Celje, see Celje Museum of Recent History) are of educational nature and contribute to the progress in the field. In addition, ICOM Slovenia puts great emphasis on the accessibility of information that can be achieved through efficient forms of communication, such as: events connecting museums and programmes (International Museum Day); leaflets and brochures of informative and promotional nature; New ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums published in the Slovene language in 2005, the publication of an ID Object leaflet in Slovene in 2007, web site information.
Exhibitons
Exhibitions take place in the individual museums. There were exhibitions in Brussels at the Time of the Slovene EU Presidency: Plečnik Project, Early Modern Slovenian Architect, Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, Brussels, 2008 by the National Gallery of Slovenia Currency Changes in Slovenia in 20th Century, the Parliament, Brussels, 2008 by the National Museum of Contemporary History The Slavs of Europe: The Slovene Contribution, Musee de Cinquantenaire, Brussels, 2008 by the Slovene Ethnographic Museum The Art and the Bee, Maison du Folklore et des Traditions, Brussels 2008 by the Museum of Apiculture, Municipal Museums of Radovljica
Publishing / Publications
It publishes Newsletter, annual publication in English. Beside this they publish leaflets and brochures of informative and promotional nature. In 2005 was published New ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums in the Slovene language; in 2007 the publication of an ID Object in Slovene.