(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Qatar Museums (QM) joined more than 35,000 other museums around the globe in celebrating the 38th International Museum Day (IMD) yesterday in a conference held at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) in Doha.
The celebration was part of further raising public awareness on the important role of museums in developing local communities and achieving cultural objectives around the world.
Since 1977, a worldwide community of museums has been celebrating IMD on May 18. In 2014, the celebration garnered record-breaking participation with more than 35,000 museums hosting events in some 145 countries.
Speaking at the conference in MIA yesterday, QM curator and heritage expert Nasser al-Hammadi told attendees of the event that Qatar also contributed 1mn euro to the International Council of Museums (ICOM) in Paris and 100,000 euro to ICOM-Arab for intensive training programmes for museum staff and to promote and support Arab museum initiatives.
Al-Hammadi noted that IMD's theme this year - "Museums for a sustainable society" - urges museum authorities to work hard in making museums a real engine for sustainable development.
Recent meetings of Arab museum organisations in the region also stressed the need to hold training workshops for young staff on how to protect museums in time of conflicts.
"On this occasion, we would like to confirm the ICOM-Arab statement during its latest meeting in Doha on the necessity of protecting Arab landmarks and face the threats that museums in this region are confronting," he said.
Anna Paolini, director at Unesco's regional office in Doha, echoed the statements of al-Hammadi, citing that museums serve as a platform for cultural exchanges and enrichment.
"Museums are more than places where objects are exhibited and preserved," she pointed out, noting the dramatic rise in cultural tourism worldwide.
Paolini said the number of museums around the world has increased from 22,000 in 1975 to 55,000 today.
Qatar had announced earlier that it planned to build more museums starting next year.
"Museums can play a leading role in fostering a creative economy locally and regionally," she added. "They serve as a platform for debates and discussions, encouraging public participation."
Paolini also stressed that such celebration provides an opportunity for museum authorities, staff and the public to raise public awareness about the role of museums as a place of reflection and protection of cultural heritage.
She said Unesco has advocated and worked hard in safeguarding works of arts and museum objects since its foundation in 1945.
It has been reported recently that Islamic State extremists destroyed priceless artefacts at Mosul's museum. Last month, video footage circulated of militants smashing massive 2,600-year-old stone statues. They also burned thousands of books at a library and destroyed shrines.
Since museums are threatened by looters, Paolini said Unesco had intervened to rescue and protect collections with a "preventive management action".
"We also carry out capacity building for museum specialists in the preservation of collections, inventory and documentation to contribute to the fight against trafficking of cultural objects," she added.
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