Museums: The Future of Diaspora Engagement
September 20 (Wednesday) - September 23 (Saturday) | 2023
Co-hosted by Idaho Museum of International Museum, Matej Bel University (MBU), City of Banská Bystrica, and MBU Faculty of Arts
Day 1 (Sept. 20): Grounding on the foundations of museums, cultural identity and diaspora.
Day 2 (Sept. 21): Immersive / experiential learning opportunity including: (1) guided cultural tour in various parts of Banská Bystrica, and (2) diaspora museum tour as an immersive learning experience.
Day 3 (Sept. 22): Engage participants in global skills training and immersive learning workshops.
Day 4 (Sept. 23): Wrap-up by way of facilitating discussion with participants on the application of the skills and knowledge in their respective fields.
See daily conference sessions / workshops / activities below.
Day 1: September 20 (Wednesday)
Foundations of Museums, Cultural Identity, and Diaspora
LEARN. Honoring the Past
DISCOVER. Treasuring Today
EXPLORE. Influence the Future
08:30am – 09:00am | Registration
Location: SNP Museum
09:00am – 09:55am | Breakfast: Foundations of Museums
Moderator(s): [forthcoming]
Location: SNP Museum
Keynote panel provides grounding on the foundations of cultural identity and diaspora, and the critical role of cultural + diaspora museums.
10:00am – 10:15am | Heartbeats of Communities
Moderator: Elke Shaw-Tulloch, MPH (Boise, Idaho, USA), State Health Official and Administrator at Division of Public Health at Idaho Department of Health and Welfare; Chair, Idaho Museum of International Diaspora Board of Directors
Location: SNP Museum
A panel of subject matter experts and practitioners across the healthcare, public health, and behavioral health sectors discuss trauma-informed care and the lifespan journey of diasporas.
A special speaker with lived experience of surviving genocide speaks about the human journey – past, current, and future – and the critical role of museums and academic institutions.
10:20am – 11:00am | Ukraine Perspectives
Speaker: Maria Prokopchuk, PhD (Kyiv, Ukraine), Associate Professor at Faculty of Romance and Germanic Linguistics Deputy and Dean at Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University
Location: SNP Museum
[description forthcoming]
11:05am – 11:50am | War Legacies
Speaker: Sera Koulabdara (Washington, DC, USA), CEO, Legacies of War and Chair, US Campaign to Ban Landmines and Cluster Munitions Coalition
Location: SNP Museum
Learning opportunity about survival victims in the diaspora; war legacies; how museums preserve and honor history, today’s changing landscape with case studies; and the role of museums to influence a better future.
12:00pm – 1:30pm | Networking Lunch
Location: forthcoming
01:30pm – 02:30pm | [Basque diaspora and culture]
Speakers: Imanol Galdos Irazabal, PhD (Donostia, Basque Country / San Sebastian, Spain), Assistant Manager, Donostia Kultura | John Bieter, PhD (Boise, Idaho, USA), Professor and Historian, Boise State University
Location: SNP Museum
[description forthcoming]
02:45pm – 03:45pm | [Irish diaspora and culture]
Speaker: Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Galway, Ireland), Director of Operations and HR, TG4
Location: SNP Museum
[description forthcoming]
03:50pm – 04:00pm | Highlights of Days 2-4
Speaker: Sascha Priewe, PhD (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), Director of Collections & Public Programs, Aga Khan Museum and Founding Member and Chair, Idaho Museum of International Diaspora Global Leadership Council
Location: SNP Museum
Wrap-up of day 1 with highlights of following days & activities.
04:30pm – 05:30pm | Private VIP Reception
Hosted by: City of Banská Bystrica, Mayor’s Office
Location: Town Hall
Private invitation only.
06:30pm – 08:00pm | VIP Partnership Dinner
Moderator: Sascha Priewe, PhD (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), Director of Collections & Public Programs, Aga Khan Museum and Founding Member and Chair, Idaho Museum of International Diaspora Global Leadership Council
Location: Congress Dixon Hotel
See description below.
Day 1: September 20 (Wednesday)
VIP Partnership Dinner
Registration required: Access here to purchase ticket ($75 USD)
06:30pm – 08:00pm | VIP Partnership Dinner
Moderator: Sascha Priewe, PhD (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), Director of Collections & Public Programs, Aga Khan Museum and Founding Member and Chair, Idaho Museum of International Diaspora Global Leadership Council
Location: Congress Dixon Hotel
The Idaho Museum of International Diaspora's Global Leadership Council (GLC) cordially invites you to join us this evening (September 20, Wednesday) for a special dinner program. Please register here. We are dedicated to expanding our partners' knowledge and inviting collaboration. During this dinner program, you will get the chance to learn and provide input into our future plans and destination for our next global conference. You will be exposed to new ideas and the "why" behind them and invited to join our movement and opportunities. We believe in providing immersive learning and educational experiences through our connections to local, national, and global partners, communities that host diasporas, and individuals in diaspora communities.
Day 2: September 21 (Thursday)
Immersive Learning & Cultural Tours
Feed Your Curiosity
09:30am – 10:30am | Foundations of Global Skills
Moderator: [TBD]
Location: [TBD]
Panel presentation across industries on global skills in practice – emotional intelligence and cultural intelligence.
10:35am – 11:45am | Museums & Global Citizenship
Speakers: [TBD]
Location: [TBD]
12:00pm – 1:20pm | Networking Lunch
01:30pm – 03:00pm | Sharing Voices
Speakers: [TBD]
Location: [TBD]
03:30pm – 05:15pm | A Journey of Exploration
Host: Anna Slatinská, PhD (Banská Bystrica, Slovakia), Manager at Faculty of Arts, Matej Bel University and Founding Member of Idaho Museum of International Diaspora Global Leadership Council
Location: multiple
Participants will enjoy a guided cultural immersion experience through museum tours and city exploration.
Day 3: September 22 (Friday)
Global Skills Training & Human Journey Workshops
#LearnDiscoverExplore
Workshop 1: Arrivals: What’s Left Behind. What Lies Ahead
Instructors: Jon Cox, MFA (Newark, Delaware, USA), National Geographic Explorer and
Professor of Art and Design, University of Delaware | Andy Bale, MFA (Carlisle, Pennsylvania, USA), Professor of Art and Photography, Dickinson College
Location: [TBD]
Workshop 2: Cross-Culinary Voices of Diaspora: Pandemic Noodles
Instructors: Hong Li, PhD (Atlanta, Georgia, USA), Professor, Chinese Language
Department of Russian and East Asian Languages and Cultures, Emory University | Christine Ristaino, PhD (Atlanta, Georgia, USA), Professor of Practice, Department of French and Italian in the College of Arts and Sciences, Emory University
Location: [TBD]
12:00pm – 01:30pm | Networking Lunch
Host: Anna Slatinská, PhD (Banská Bystrica, Slovakia), Manager at Faculty of Arts, Matej Bel University and Founding Member of Idaho Museum of International Diaspora Global Leadership Council
Location: Národný Dom
Workshop 4: [healing journey: individuals and communities]
Moderator: Elke Shaw-Tulloch, MPH (Boise, Idaho, USA), State Health Official and Administrator at Division of Public Health at Idaho Department of Health and Welfare; Chair, Idaho Museum of International Diaspora Board of Directors
Location: [TBD]
Workshop 5: [historical diaspora – Idaho Commission on the Arts]
Speaker: Steven Hatcher (Boise, Idaho, USA), Director of Folk and Traditional Arts, Idaho Commission on the Arts
Location: [TBD]
Exhibition: Next Generation Lens: Tour of Slovakia
Host: Anna Slatinská, PhD (Banská Bystrica, Slovakia), Manager at Faculty of Arts, Matej Bel University and Founding Member of Idaho Museum of International Diaspora Global Leadership Council
Location: [TBD]
Matej Bel University student reflections via exhibition made up of previous day outputs created by students. Students will share their experience as participants and learners throughout the conference.
Day 4: September 23 (Saturday)
Engaging Partners in the Future
8:30am – 09:30am | Breakfast: Conference Reflections
Speakers: Sascha Priewe, Palina Louangketh, and Sarah Smith
Location: Congress Dixon Hotel
2023 Slovakia conference reflections: Role of Museums; Looking ahead: 2024 and beyond; and Call for Partnerships
09:30am – 10:00am | Closing Remarks and Adjourn
Speaker(s): Anna Slatinská, PhD (Banská Bystrica, Slovakia), Manager at Faculty of Arts, Matej Bel University and Founding Member of Idaho Museum of International Diaspora Global Leadership Council
Location: Congress Dixon Hotel
