Medea Ekner confirmed as ICOM director general after turbulent years
Medea Ekner has been named the director general of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), stepping up from her interim position after a year. ICOM, which represents about 53,000 museum professionals across 129 countries, has encountered notable difficulties, such as the departure of nine committee and executive board members in 2020 over a disputed definition of a museum. Ekner brings 20 years of experience from institutions in Sweden and New Zealand, having previously led ICOM Sweden and served on the board of the ICOM Nord Regional Alliance. After two years of talks, ICOM has established a new definition that frames a museum as "a not-for-profit, permanent institution in the service of society," emphasizing accessibility, inclusivity, and sustainability.
Key facts
- Medea Ekner confirmed as director general of ICOM
- She served as interim director for one year prior
- ICOM represents about 53,000 museum professionals in over 129 countries
- Ekner has 20 years of experience in Swedish and New Zealand institutions
- She is former chair of ICOM Sweden and board member of ICOM Nord Regional Alliance
- Nine members of ICOM's committee and executive board resigned in 2020
- ICOM adopted a new museum definition in 2022 after two years of debate
- An earlier proposed definition was criticized as jargon-heavy and ideological
Entities
Institutions
- International Council of Museums
- ICOM Sweden
- ICOM Nord Regional Alliance
Locations
- Sweden
- New Zealand