Sharjah24 – WAM: The UAE has won the bid to host the 27th International Council of Museums (ICOM) General Conference 2025 in Dubai under the theme 'The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities’. The new global achievement is set to further strengthen the UAE’s leading position as the capital of creativity and innovation across various fields.

The result of the vote in favour of the UAE's bid file, surpassing those of Sweden and Russia, makes Dubai the first city in the Middle East and North Africa to organise this prestigious international conference since ICOM's establishment in 1946.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, tweeted on his official account on Twitter, saying, "Dubai's victory to host the largest global conference on museums, ICOM 2025, with the attendance of 119 countries, covering 20,000 international museums, gives a strong impetus to the country's cultural sector. Our international museums in our beloved emirate and our national museums throughout the country will lead the global debate on the future of museums at this huge international conference."

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, tweeted, "Dubai wins the hosting of the largest global conference for museums, ICOM 2025. More than 4,000 professionals from 119 countries will gather to discuss one topic, 'The Future of Museums' in the city of the future, Dubai. We would like to thank Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and Member of the Dubai Council, Dubai Culture, Dubai Municipality and Dubai Tourism for their efforts to host the global event."

Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, tweeted, "We congratulate the UAE and Dubai for winning the bid to host ICOM 2025, the largest museum conference in the world. 119 countries containing 20,000 international museums will gather in Dubai, cementing the UAE's position on the global cultural map. The world always chooses the UAE as a platform to meet and discuss its most important humanitarian, economic and cultural issues."

Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and Member of the Dubai Council, said, "Dubai’s hosting of ICOM 2025 General Conference proves that our leadership’s investment to consolidate cultural and knowledge work in Dubai and the UAE as a whole is truly successful, with global resonance through several important cultural and civilisational edifices as well as by organising major cultural events. The 27th ICOM conference in Dubai will be an opportunity to mobilise efforts, ideas and capabilities to enhance the role of all museums as protectors of human and knowledge heritage and enhance their cultural and societal role in a more effective manner."

Dubai's victory came following the voting round that was held at the meeting of ICOM's executive committee on 18th and 19th November, with the participation of over 130 members. Dubai's bid succeeded in obtaining 68 votes, beating Sweden's Stockholm (34 votes), and Russia's Kazan (20 votes).

ICOM General Conference is held once every three years. Its 25th edition was held in 2019 in Kyoto, Japan, and the 26th edition is scheduled to be held in Prague, Czech Republic in 2022.

The three cities nominated to host ICOM 2025 - Dubai, Stockholm and Kazan - each had made final presentations prior to the voting process that took place electronically.

The efforts of the UAE’s chapter of ICOM (ICOM-UAE), in cooperation with Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), Dubai Municipality, and the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), resulted in presenting the city and its capabilities to earn it the bid.

Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, expressed her pride in this victory, which she described as an unprecedented Arab achievement, saying, "We are proud that the UAE and Dubai have been chosen to organise this conference, which is the largest cultural gathering of its kind in the world in the field of museums, with the attendance of more than 4,000 experts and specialists from 119 countries from around the world. Hosting ICOM 2025, the largest cultural gathering of its kind, constitutes a valuable opportunity to shed light on the historical and civilisational dimension of the UAE and Dubai and to present our history, heritage and culture to the world at the highest standards and levels."