Israeli Delegation Brings Museum Innovation to First ICOM Summit in Arab Region
An Israeli cultural delegation is in Dubai this week for the ICOM Dubai 2025 Summit, marking the first time the International Council of Museums has brought its global gathering to an Arab country. The summit runs November 11–17 and focuses on how museums can adapt to rapidly changing communities.
The group includes representatives from 11 Israeli museums—among them the Israel Museum, the Haifa Museums and ANU – Museum of the Jewish People—along with Tema Creative, a leading Israeli startup developing technology for museum education and visitor engagement. Delegates are scheduled to take part in panel discussions and presentations throughout the event.
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Israeli participants say the summit offers a rare platform for regional cultural cooperation and an opportunity to highlight Israel’s role in museum innovation. Tema Creative plans to demonstrate tools designed to reshape how visitors interact with collections, giving curators and educators new ways to connect audiences with history, art and cultural heritage.
Israel’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Yossi Avraham Shelley, welcomed the delegation’s presence at the gathering. He said their involvement reflects Israel’s commitment to “cultural exchange, innovation and collaboration,” adding that the Dubai summit provides space for institutions across the region to learn from one another while finding new ways to work together.
Throughout the week, the Israeli museums and the technology team will join workshops and conversations on preservation, digital transformation and approaches to managing collections in a shifting cultural landscape. Delegates say they hope the meetings will expand professional networks and open the door to new joint projects with counterparts from around the world.
The summit’s organizers have framed this year’s event as a milestone, both for its location and for the growing emphasis on technological innovation within museum practice. Israeli officials view their participation as part of a broader effort to contribute to global cultural dialogue and strengthen ties with institutions in the Gulf.
