In 2023, the International Council of Museums (ICOM) established an international working group on decolonisation. Until 2025, the group’s 14 members from various countries are collaboratively developing recommendations on how ICOM – as a global network of museum professionals – can more effectively integrate key issues of decolonisation into its work and establish new standards for the international museum sector. 
 
In June 2024, the working group met in person for the first time in the Netherlands to consolidate the results from their monthly virtual meetings and to define the next steps in their work. This initial meeting highlighted the critical importance of in-person exchanges when addressing global issues of decolonisation.  

From 1–5 June 2025, the working group convenes in Berlin for a second time at the invitation of ICOM Germany. During this time, the members will build on their findings from the 2024 meeting and integrate findings from the smaller units in which they have been working primarily online since the inception of the working group. In addition to private workshops and networking events, a public panel discussion and live stream will take place on 4 June 2025.

More information can be found here (in German).  

Participants: 

• Chair: Hanna PENNOCK (ICOM Netherlands) 
• Members: Isabel BEIRIGO (ICOM Netherlands), Ishola Chinedu OZUEIGBO (ICOM Nigeria), Abeer ELADANY (ICOM UK), Natalie MCGUIRE (ICOM Barbados), Suy Lan HOPMANN (ICOM Germany), Camila OPAZO (ICOM Spain), Prachi JOSHI (ICOM India), Huishih (Phaedra) FANG (ICOM NATHIST), Carly DEGBELO (ICOM Bénin), Catherine C. COLE (ICOM Canada) and Asma IBRAHIM (ICOM Pakistan), Terry Simioti NYAMBE (ICOM Executive Board Member), Rachelle KALEE (ICOM Executive Board Member) 

Cooperation Partners: 

The meeting is organised by ICOM Germany in cooperation with the Agency for International Museum Cooperation, "inherit – heritage in transformation", and the Centre Marc Bloch as well as ICOM Barbados, ICOM Canada, ICOM France, ICOM Netherlands, ICOM NATHIST, and ICOM ICOMON. It is supported by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media and ICOM International (SAREC). 

The ICOM Working Group on Decolonisation will be hosted from 2–3 June 2025 by the museum agency as part of the programme International Dialogues. This initiative facilitates exchange among museum professionals, enabling them to jointly address the many contemporary challenges in cross-border cultural work.