The Annual ICOM-CECA and 13th Annual ICOM-UMAC Conference will take place in Alexandria, on 9-14 October 2014. This year’s conference is entitled “Squaring the Circle? Research, Museum, Public: A Common Engagement Towards Effective Communication.”

Museum education is considered nowadays as one of the core functions of a museum. But how are the various messages to be delivered to the museum audiences conceived? Where do the researchers, the curators and the educators meet? How do each see their role as mediator? How to operate the magic encounter which will allow any visitor to understand the most difficult topics needed to be able to enjoy the wonders exhibited in museums?

For the first time two ICOM international committees – CECA/Committee for Education and Cultural Action and UMAC/ Committee for University Museums And Collections – have decided to combine their efforts by organizing a joint conference in the outstanding venue of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. They will discuss all the above issues so crucial for any researcher wanting to spread out their knowledge and all educators conscious of the importance of spreading messages which are both scientifically correct and accessible to the public at large.

Submission details

Papers may be presented in two forms: oral contributions or poster papers. The conference language is English, French and Spanish.

For the submission of papers an abstract should be sent to the Program chairperson Mona Haggag [email protected] with a copy to Nicole Gesché , conference coordinator, [email protected] and Hugues Dreyssé [email protected] using the attached form (max. 200 words). Also a short biography should be included highlighting main research interests (no more than 50 words).

Oral presentations

Duration: 20 min (15 + 5 discussion)

Poster papers

Posters should be A1 (594mm × 841mm), portrait format.

Receipt of submitted abstracts will by acknowledged by email.

The deadline for receiving abstracts is March 15, 2014.

Conference fee:

* 220 Euros for professionals

* 140 Euros for students

* 220 Egyptian Pounds for Egyptian professionals

* 140 Egyptian Pounds for Egyptian students

Additional information (registration, accommodation etc.) will be posted soon on a dedicated website http://alexandria-2014.org

This conference is co-organized by: the University of Alexandria, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Egyptian Ministery of Antiquities – Museum sector, the Centre d’Etudes Alexandrines (CEAlex), the ICOM-Egypt and the Université Senghor, Alexandria.

Local organizing committee: Mona Haggag University of Alexandria) general coordinator; Badrya Serry (Bibliotheca Alexandrina); Nivine Khaled (University of Alexandria); Mahmoud Samy (Egyptian Ministery of Antiquities – Museum sector); Jean Yves Empereur (Centre d’études alexandrines); Ossama Abdel Meguid (ICOM-Egypt); Jean-François Fau (Université Senghor, Alexandria)

ICOM-CECA and ICOM-UMAC committees: Hugues Dreyssé (ICOM-UMAC, Strasbourg; Emma Nardi (ICOM-CECA, Roma); Nicole Gesché (ICOM-CECA, Brussels)

For further information

Contact persons: Mona Haggag – [email protected] &

Nicole Gesché – [email protected]