Resource: Museums as Places for Intercultural Dialogue & Learning

On 4 April 2014, the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin, an ASEMUS member, held a seminar which aimed to explore how Irish and international museum practice recognises the need to work with external partners and groups as well as acknowledge the changing face of national identities in the twenty-first century. The resulting presentations are now available online. Entitled 'Museums as Places for Intercultural Dialogue and Learning', the seminar’s theme related to the diversity and inclusion urban policy agenda advocated by the Intercultural Cities programme of the Council of Europe, of which Dublin is a leading participant. Intercultural learning and dialogue is at the heart of the Chester Beatty Library’s exhibition and learning programme. For over 10 years, the Library has led the way in developing links with its immediate and international diverse communities as reflected in the Collections. Speakers at the event included: Minister for Education and Skills, Mr Ruairi Quinn, TD; Dr Viv Golding, Director of Learning and Visitor Studies, Senior Lecturer in Communication and Education,School of Museum Studies, Leicester University; Irena Guidikova (Intercultural Cities, Council of Europe); Declan Hayden (Office of Integration, Dublin City Council); Ann Luttrell (Anna Lindh Foundation, Irish Network); Jenny Siung (Chester Beatty Library); Margherita Sani (Istituto per beni artistici, culturali e naturali); Brid Maher and Jane Camara, Inclusion and Diversity Services, Northern Ireland; Justyna Chmielewska (Chester Beatty Library) and Alan Kirwan (House of European History; a project of the European Parliament). Their presentations and a video showing images of the event are available online at http://www.cbl.ie/Education/Museums-as-Places-for-Intercultural-Dialogue---Lea.aspx Picture: 'Tell Your Story' project, Chester Beatty Library and Draíocht Arts Centre, 2008