18 Wishes on International Museum Day 2020

1. As museums like any other institution face the challenges caused by COVID-19, some struggle to continue, some struggle to support their employees and communities, may the chaos lead to greater solidarity, collaborations, and an honest reflection on purpose and relevance.

2. May there be pursuit of understanding well-being, what really is well-being? and catering to it through our work.

3. May there be an inherent reminder and adherence to ethics.

4. May there be a constant endeavor to be as open and accessible as possible. With museums adopting newer digital strategies and reaching out to people unlike before, why are we reaching out to people, who are we reaching out to, who are we unable to reach, who would be really needing this content right now shall be a good place to begin. May we create a new imagination of our audiences, our public, local and global.

5. This year the focus is on equality, diversity and inclusion. May we listen more to truly understand what this means to our communities.

6. May we move beyond the patronizing gaze for folk artists, crafts practitioners and to make place for them to not have to constantly live in the duality of their individual pursuits and frozen identities.

7. May we understand the needs of persons with disabilities, people who might be sick and recovering, the elderly, the lonely, the diversity of people inhabiting this earth and the variety of ways in which they could be touched. May we collaborate with individuals and organizations who are already catering to the many communities.

8. May museums serve as the collective conscience and be a space for reflection on the pandemic and what it highlights about our ways of living and functioning. May we be the place where difficult questions are asked for the future.

9. May we find the balance between revenue generation and not encouraging mindless consumption.

10. May we rethink our own hierarchies and biases within.

11. May we make place for younger, emerging professionals to contribute and experiment.

12. May we make place for artists and varied professionals to be able to participate and contribute when we redesign our digital strategies and learning experiences.

13. May we remember that every child deserves a good education and learning, may we not hold back from using the kind of platforms we might have not considered before, so as to reach as many children as we can.

14. May we overcome barriers of languages, emotions, society in our work.

15. May we remember Viktor Frankl's words, that "Everything depends on the individual human being, regardless of how small a number of like-minded people there is, and everything depends on each person, through action and not mere words, creatively making the meaning of life a reality in his or her own being."

16. May we value people and other beings, the earth and natural resources as much as our collections and stories, and re-imagine our roles then.

17. May we remember that a response from a vulnerable space offers strength and resilience to many, may we not hesitate from offering that response. May we be guided by compassion in our endeavors.

18. May we remember our limitations yet be courageous in our ideals.

- Museums Of Hope