BY TEWODROS KASSA
The International Museum Day is marked every year on May 18 with the aim of 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.”
The Day was first celebrated four decades ago in 1977 by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) with this same objective. And this year’s International Museum Day was marked around the world with the theme “Museums, Sustainability and Well-being”. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) explained that museums can help the world get closer to Sustainable Development Goals by supporting climate action, promoting inclusivity, preventing social isolation, and improving mental health. Museums, this year, will observe the day by hosting events that showcase how museums are contributing to the protection of the environment and educating people on the importance of sustainability.
Recently, the Addis Ababa City Administration Culture, Arts and Tourism Bureau marked the International Museum Day with a number of ceremonies including displaying various exhibitions conducting panel discussions, paying visit to the museums found in the city; and it was learnt that the observance will continue throughout the month. Different experts also lauded the value of museums for national development. The experts agree that Museums are drivers of local development and serve as a foundation for the research and exploration of culture, history, lifestyle, and development of a given society and country.
Tourism State Minister Silesh Girma (PhD) said that museums play a significant role in promoting the socio-economic lives of the society. Thus, more assignments are still left ahead to harness the touristic values of museums. The society should also have more awareness about the importance of museums for social and economic progress of a given country as a general and citizens in particular. As to him, Addis Ababa is becoming more preferable for international tourists following the availability of tourists’ destinations and museums that represent the little Ethiopia in a small hall. Museums are a mosaic of ancient historical and cultural achievements of the society that shares together. Thus, museums represent everyone and should fulfill this criterion to become a museum of all.
He also urged the society to cooperate in bringing heritages to museums and support the efforts applied to preserve and conserve heritages.Currently, Ethiopian ancient heritages are also found in museums of various countries including European and U.S. These ancient heritages reflect the achievements of the Ethiopian peoples at that moment. Thus, the historical and cultural manifestations of the country are being visited by millions of people around the world in museums, he indicated. “Museums contribute a lot towards promoting the country’s tourism potential. We have to work further considering these resources and exert maximum efforts to attain our objectives in the sector”, he noted. According to him, museums play a tangible role towards generating more foreign exchange and creating numerous job opportunities directly and indirectly. Moreover, they are magnets and mirrors of a given society that connects the past, the present, and the future generations within a single hall, he said.
However, Ethiopia, compared with other countries, has a limited number of museums. Thus, it is important to increase the number of museums to embrace the real representations of diversified Nations, Nationalities, and peoples of Ethiopia across all states. Most of the country’s museums are found in Addis Ababa city that are run by the government or privately. The main purpose of celebrating the International Museum Day is to create awareness about the importance of museums and motivate the general public towards supporting the diversification of museum’s collections. On her part, Addis Ababa City Administration Culture, Arts and Tourism Bureau Head Hirut Kassaw (PhD) said that the City Administration embraces various museums including the Addis Ababa museum that was established in 1979. The Bureau is working to realize its objectives of making Addis Ababa the leading tourist destinations in Africa by 2030.
As to her, the Addis Ababa Museum is working to collect more cultural, historical, and diversified manifestations of the city residents from all corners of the country. As a result, her Bureau is undertaking successive research on heritages, heritage collection, and effective conservation works of heritages. The Bureau is striving to increase the items of cultural and historical products being embraced inside the museum. The Addis Ababa Museum is open for local and international visitors all the seven days. Moreover, the Bureau is undertaking effectively its works of age-old heritage conservation activities through renovating various movable and immovable heritages that are found in different parts of the city. What is more, the Bureau renovated various theatres including the prominent Hager Fikir Theatre, cinemas, statues, heritage centers, ancient homes, among others, she said.
The experts finally urged the society to cooperate with museums through providing ancient heritages to the nearby museums and to enable heritage be conserved well. The society should also cultivate the habit of visiting museums and contribute their part in the efforts exerted for the development of the tourism sector. In sum, museums not only serve as a source of entertainment; but they also help people to have some understanding about different cultures and promote unity. Thousands of museums around the world celebrate International Museum Day every year. The celebrations involve organizing events and activities that highlight the importance of museums.
According to the International Council of Museums, (ICOM), all museums have a role to play in shaping and creating sustainable futures, and they can do this through educational programs, exhibitions, community outreach and research. Each year since 2020, the International Museum Day supports a set of goals from the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, and in this year, 2023, it will focus on supporting Goals 3, 13 and 15, it was learnt.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SUNDAY EDITION 21 MAY 2023
