Every year, on or around May 18; International Museum Day is celebrated in coordination with the International Council of Museums (ICOM). Created in 1977, IMD serves as museum professionals’ opportunity to reach the public and alert them of the challenges that museums are facing. It is therefore a platform for public awareness on the role museums play in the development of society today on an international level.

The event theme changes yearly. This year’s theme of International Museum Day is – Museums and contested histories: Saying the unspeakable in museums.

This theme focuses on the role of museums that, by working to benefit society, become hubs for promoting peaceful relationships between people. It also highlights how the acceptance of a contested history is the first step in envisioning a shared future under the banner of reconciliation.

In 2016, 30,000 museums from 145 countries have participated. The number is expected to grow this year as this international event is gaining popularity among cultural institutions from around the world.