Dear colleagues,
After 12 years on the NEMO board, including 10 years as Chairperson, I will be leaving this summer to take over the management of the Swiss Heritage Society.
I still remember my election to the board of NEMO in 2012 in Dublin. What an honour! And two years later I became the Chair. I didn't know then that I was going to stay in this position for so long and I didn't know I was going to have so much fun with NEMO!
With the support of the board and the team, we have established a perfectly organised office in Berlin, expanded our membership and our offers, and we have clarified NEMO’s strategic objectives.
I am confident that NEMO is in good hands with an executive board led by the future Chair, Petra Havu from the Finnish Museums Association, and the Vice Chair, Vera Carasso from the Dutch Museums Association. And I know that the office is in good hands with Julia Pagel as an experienced Secretary General and a highly committed team.
I hope our paths will cross again soon, hopefully at the NEMO European Museum Conference in Sibiu. I would like to thank you, dear members, for your commitment so that NEMO continues to be the voice of museums at European level and to promote the significance of international cooperation for cultural development.
Best regards,
David
Dear members of NEMO,
Quite unexpectedly but deeply honoured I have arrived to take the position of the chair of NEMO.
First, I want to thank David, who is leaving NEMO, for having led the network so well for many years. I always felt confident under David's leadership, with his very polite and intelligent way of pushing things forward gently, but with determination.
Despite the change, there is a lot of continuity, as the competent and effective secretariat, managed by the Secretary-General Julia, will continue to lay the ground for our work. I am looking forward to continuing our excellent collaboration!
The time we live in is challenging for us as individuals and for museums. There are many kinds of threats in society, environment and in the world of politics. We must live through this time and lead these changes in our organisations as well as in our countries and societies. It is our unique responsibility to think, discuss, negotiate, and find and offer solutions to bring museums and our cultural heritage successfully through this time, together with national and international authorities.
NEMO will continue to support your work by organising trainings and events and sharing information. NEMO will also continue to advocate for museums on the European level. We also hope to be able to support you in your national endeavours. Please feel free to contact me, any other board member or the secretariat Julia to share your ideas on how we could develop our collaboration and be able to support you better.
Looking forward to seeing you in Sibiu in November for our annual conference!
Best,
Petra
