Museums do indeed help people to develop as individuals and to understand their place in the world. The Commissioner got to experience this first-hand as she got to try different kinds of museum work that all contribute to lifelong learning and development. She also got unique insights into museum operations during a pandemic, including the new routines that are in place to ensure a safe museum visit.
EU Commissioner Gabriel gained unique insights into museum work during a NEMO Political Internship
Each NEMO internship is tailored in accordance with the participant’s field and interest. Considering the Commissioner’s portfolio of Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Muzeiko was a natural choice. Afterall, the science centre brings together all of these sectors and shows how they can benefit from each other to create something impactful and valuable to society.
Commissioner Mariya Gabriel left the NEMO Political Internship with new insights of the value of museums and museum work. Especially in these uncertain times, museums act as important support pillars and they help people develop as individuals and make sense of the world. In a press release, Bistra Kirova, director of Muzeiko, pointed to the resilience and creativity that Muzeiko and other museums showcased during the initial months of Covid-19. She explains that “Muzeiko entered the homes of thousands of families through “Muzeiko @ Home” on social media and provided meaningful, educational and fun content. […] We know that children need us during the closure, and we also know that they will need us even more afterwards. With the coronavirus, children have missed one of the most important things for their development – the PLAY, and Muzeiko’s role is to help families bring back play in the life of their kids.”
Launched in 2018, the museum advocacy programme NEMO Political Internship in Museums aims to provide EU policy makers with a greater understanding of museum work by showcasing museums’ imperative value for society. Commissioner Mariya Gabriel was the third EU politician to complete a NEMO Political Internship. Previously, Luca Jahier, President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), and Julie Ward, former MEP and member of the CULT committee, participated in the museum advocacy initiative
- Read the full press release (published on 1 October).