June 9, 2022

ICOM National Committee of Georgia responds to the recent developments in the museum field in Georgia

We consider alarming the mass dismissal process of qualified staff from the Georgian National Museum since the end of 2021, as a result of which more than 60 employees have been dismissed so far. It is unclear to the public what criteria were used by the commission set up to determine and select the competencies of the museum staff and on the basis of what arguments it decided to dismiss the professional staff.

ICOM Georgia considers unacceptable the dismissal of qualified staff from the Museum with many years of experience and invaluable institutional memory, and calls on the Museum’s management to be guided by professional ethics and decisions based on relevant competence during the reorganization process.

In addition, the amendment to the Statute of the Georgian National Museum (Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of June 18, 2019 # 110 / n) made by the order of the Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth of Georgia on February 1, 2022 (# 05/02), according to which, the right of the representatives of the museum field to fulfill their professional obligations and access to museum funds, both in the field of science and research, as well as in the field of education, was restricted. On February 11, 2022, ICOM Georgia responded to this change, which contradicts the current definition and mission of museum, and violates a number of principles of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) Code of Ethics for Museums (2018), according to which museums have a special responsibility to ensure access to collections for research and education, as well as a commitment to share knowledge and experience.

The dismissal of staff and several changes to the museum statute threaten the implementation of a number of ongoing international, multidisciplinary projects and expeditions. All this hinders the integration of Georgian scientists in international scientific circles and will lead to the international isolation of Georgian scientific schools.

ICOM Georgia positively assesses the launch of the evacuation process from the depreciated building of Art museum of the Georgian National Museum, but specially emphasizes the need for transparency in this process, subsequent stages and deadlines for evacuation.

ICOM Georgia express hope that specialists with relevant competencies and experience will still be given the opportunity to continue their professional activities in the museum, museum collections will be accessible to the interested public for scientific-research and educational purposes and the collections of Sh. Amiranashvili Art Museum will be moved in compliance with the rules and standards in a space relevant and protected for the collections.

ICOM Georgia, with its organizational experience and the competencies of the representatives of the National Committee, expresses its readiness to use all the resources at our disposal for cooperation and participation in the process.