Three million people are part of the "Friends of Museums World Federation", an entity that has been working now for 30 years and whose latest meeting was held in Athens, Greece. Issues such as volunteering, resources, heritage protection, support-webs and how to incorporate civil society to the museum work are some of the aspects that where discussed there.

Cecilia García-Huidobro, part of the Federation´s internation board and president of the Chilean FECHAM (Friends of Museums Chilean Federation) was the only Latinamerican present in Athens. She celebrated the fact that meetings were no longer organized just in Europe or the U.S.: "It´s time for diversity", she told the crowd. To have Chile as the next meeting country was voted by the great majority of those present.

From June 2004, FECHAM will be part of the work committee that will organize everything that is going to be needed for this next Congress, to be held in Santiago during April and May of the year 2006. "It is a great opportunity to gain national attention about the importance of our museums, since people from several countries will visit Chile for the first time,", explains Cecilia García-Huidobro.


Museums, a country´s landmark

There´s the need for the community and private sector to create groups that get thoroughly involved with their museums. One of the issues to be discussed in the next Congress is how the Friends of the Museums can help to save patrimony that is now neglected; not just in existing museums, but also in those institutions that are now under threat, because of war, civil conflicts, natural disasters, etc. "We can make big things happen, like what was done in Chile with the Museo de la Merced. When patrimony lies neglected, just a group of people with enough enthusiasm for conservation can organize themselves and create a new Museum", says Cecilia.

To her, museums are centers where to generate identity and a sense of belonging in different areas, such as the sciences or the arts. They also offer sources for education and association. "Within a museum one can create different interest groups, from volunteers to young scientists. Around the National History Museum, for instance, you can work with young people with an interest in echology or senior citizens. A museums is like a country´s spine. People come and go, but the Museum stays there, it trascends and shows the face of a nation".

The importance of volunteering will be another one of the issues to be debated. Such an activity is vital in countries with a longer tradition in museum-work. Chile is just starting with volunteering. The Fine Arts National Museum has volunteers that work in order and follow the responsibilities they have acquired. "Volunteers should work like a professional group, the same as in the Red Cross or a benefit institution", says Cecilia.

The Friends of Museums Federation International Congress will be a valuable meeting of perspectives and ideas from all over the world.