Dear colleagues of the international museum community,

The forthcoming 24th ICOM General Conference will be held from 3 to 9 July, 2016 in Milan, Italy. We will be delighted to welcome you for what is sure to be an exciting week of discussions and events in a country that is world-renowned for its incredibly rich and diverse cultural heritage.

The international museum community will gather together in Milan around the theme of Museums and cultural landscapes, which raises a number of issues dear to all of us, as museums around the world strive to redefine their roles and positions in relation to their communities and with respect to the cultural heritage that lies beyond their walls. 

Packed with stimulating sessions, networking opportunities and committee meetings, the week-long ICOM General Conference is key in allowing ICOM’s 35,000 members from some 140 countries, alongside other museum professionals from an array of cultural and linguistic horizons, to maintain and expand their expertise and leadership on cultural heritage issues. 

In the year of ICOM’s 70th birthday, I count on your presence during this key moment for ICOM in Milan, to celebrate our seven decades of commitment to the protection, preservation and promotion of museums and cultural heritage.

It will be my honour to welcome you, together with our Italian hosts, to this momentous event. I am confident that with the help of your contributions and participation, it will be an unforgettable experience.

We look forward to gathering together in Milan in 2016!

Prof. Dr. Hans-Martin Hinz

President of ICOM