TEHRAN – “Museums for Equality: Diversity and Inclusion” was selected as the motto of the 2020 International Museum Day as organizers look to hammer home the message of joint understanding, cooperation and peace.

Each year since 1977, the International Council of Museums (ICOM) has organized International Museum Day on May 18 or around this date, to represent a unique moment for the international museum community.

The theme “Museums for Equality: Diversity and Inclusion”, according to organizers, aims at becoming a rallying point to both celebrate the diversity of perspectives that make up the communities and personnel of museums, and champion tools for identifying and overcoming bias in what they display and the stories they tell, the ICOM website reported.

By choosing this topic, ICOM stresses the potential of museums to create meaningful experiences for peoples of all origins and backgrounds, which is central to their social value.

“As agents of change and trusted institutions, there is no time like the present for museums to demonstrate their relevance by engaging constructively in the political, social, and cultural realities of modern society. The challenges of inclusion and diversity and the difficulty of navigating complex social issues in increasingly polarized environments, while not unique to museums and cultural institutions, are important ones, due the high regard in which museums are held by society.”

The objective of International Museum Day is to raise awareness about the fact that, “Museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples.”

To mark the occasion in Iran, heritage museums and historical sites are traditionally offering free entry on the International Museum Day.

Some Three million historical objects are currently being kept in Iranian museums which are affiliated with the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts.

AFM/MG