ICOM Malta is pleased to present the ICOM International Museum Day 2026 Seminar, a reflective and practice-oriented gathering exploring the theme Museums as Spaces of Connection.
This half-day seminar brings together museum professionals, cultural practitioners, educators, and community leaders to examine how museums can actively foster wellbeing, intergenerational dialogue, inclusivity, and intercultural understanding in an increasingly divided world. Through a keynote presentation, interactive showcases, and hands-on workshops, participants will engage with contemporary approaches to museum practice that place people and community at the centre.
The seminar aims to highlight museums not only as custodians of heritage, but as living spaces of care, dialogue, and transformation.
📅 Friday, 22 May 2026
⏰ 08:30AM – 13:00PM
📍Catholic Institute, Floriana
Programme
08:30 – 09:00 – Registration
09:00 – 09:10 – Welcome Speech
Krystle Farrugia, ICOM Malta Chairperson
09:10 – 09:20 – Remarks from the Host
Andrew Borg Wirth, Creative Director, Office of the Archbishop’s Delegate for Culture
09:20 – 10:15 – Keynote Presentation
Curating Wellbeing: Bridging Community, Creativity and Care in Museums
Anna Formosa, Creative Health Malta (including Q&A)
10:15 – 11:00 – Extended Coffee Break
Outreach in Practice: 10 Showcases and Sharing Experiences
An informal, drop-in session during the coffee break, designed as a sharing experience.
11:00 – 12:15 – Workshops
Workshop 1: Reimagining Youth Engagement: Museums as Spaces for Young Voices,
led by Juanita Vassallo, Museum Educator - Education & Thematic Events, Heritage Malta and Youth Group Leader, PRISMS — PINK
Description: This workshop explores how museums can meaningfully connect with youths and young adults by creating participatory, relevant, and empowering experiences. Participants will examine innovative engagement strategies, co-creation models, and digital approaches that position young people not just as audiences, but as active contributors and storytellers within museum spaces.
Workshop 2: Bridging Generations: Fostering Connection Through Shared Heritage, led by Raffaella Zammit, Gabriel Caruana Foundation — YELLOW
Description: How can museums bring generations together in meaningful dialogue? This session focuses on designing programmes that encourage intergenerational exchange, storytelling, and mutual learning. Through case studies and collaborative exercises, participants will discover how museums can act as meeting points where diverse age groups connect through memory, identity, shared cultural experiences and shared skills that promote the continuation of intangible heritage.
Workshop 3: Healing Spaces: Museums, Culture, and Mental Wellbeing, led by Anna Formosa, Creative Health Malta — BLUE
Description: This workshop examines the growing role of museums in supporting mental health and emotional wellbeing. Participants will explore how cultural spaces can offer reflection, comfort, and resilience through inclusive programming, sensory experiences, and community partnerships. Participants will focus on museums as safe spaces for mental wellbeing, and as places for inspiration and creativity without judgement. Practical examples and tools will be shared to help institutions design initiatives that nurture wellbeing for diverse audiences.
Workshop 4: Sustaining Cultural Professionals: Supporting Its People, led by Alison Sciberras, Richmond Foundation — GREEN
Description: Focusing on artists and cultural workers, this session addresses the challenges of burnout, precarity, and emotional labour in the sector. Participants will reflect on how museums and cultural institutions can foster healthier working environments, support creative practitioners, and build sustainable ecosystems that prioritise wellbeing alongside productivity and innovation.
Workshop 5: Crossing Cultures: Museums as Platforms for Multicultural Dialogue, led by Vanessa Ciantar, Assistant Manager - Education & Thematic Events, Heritage Malta — ORANGE
Description: In increasingly diverse societies, museums have a vital role in fostering intercultural understanding. This workshop explores how institutions can create inclusive narratives, amplify underrepresented voices, and facilitate dialogue across cultural boundaries. Participants will engage with strategies for co-curation, community collaboration, and culturally responsive programming.
Workshop 6: Beyond Access: Embedding Inclusivity in Museum Practice, led by Emily Slater, Visitors Services, Heritage Malta — RED
Description: Moving past traditional notions of accessibility, this session invites participants to rethink inclusivity as a core value embedded across all aspects of museum work. From exhibition design to governance, participants will explore practical approaches to creating welcoming, equitable spaces for all—regardless of ability, background, or identity.
12:15 – 13:00 – Workshop Outcomes and Closing Reflections
Kindly note that the event will be documented through photography and videography.