'My museum', the first virtual exhibition of family heritage in Kosovo

As part of preparations for International Museum Day, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, in collaboration with the National Museum of Kosovo, are preparing a virtual exhibition "My Museum", which will be marked on May 18, calling on citizens to make their contribution.

Due to the circumstances created by the Covid 19 pandemic, where many museums around the world remain closed, ICOM will bring the activities planned to mark this day in a new form digitally. Kosovo has also joined this initiative as the National Museum of Kosovo has been celebrating this day with numerous activities for several years in a row, and has been part of ICOM for almost four years.

This year, too, events will be held in Kosovo to mark this day with creative activities and events that will be held digitally, including the virtual exhibition in question.

The virtual exhibition, which will be organized by the National Museum of Kosovo, aims to bring the museum closer to the residents of the Republic of Kosovo, to raise awareness about the values and preservation of our cultural heritage and diversity.

Specifically, My Museum is a virtual activity/exhibition organized to facilitate collaboration between the community and the Museum, and offers a new approach to inclusivity by integrating into the exhibition collections from the family heritage of the inhabitants of the Republic of Kosovo. The goal is to build a virtual exhibition with works (drawings, paintings, designs), objects (tools, utensils, furniture, old wood, metal, stone works; clothing), photographs sent in digital format, while staying at home.

International Museum Day is organized by ICOM (International Council of Museums) since 1977 every year on May 18 with a special theme. To mark this day, more than 44 thousand Museums from 138 countries around the world participate by developing creative activities and events related to the given theme. These activities aim to raise awareness among people that “Museums are a means of cultural exchange, cultural enrichment and mutual development, cooperation and peace between people”.

The theme set for this year by ICOM "Museums for Equality: Diversity and Inclusion" will be used by museums around the world as a credible point of reference to celebrate cultural diversity among communities.