from The International Council of Museums -
International Museum Day 2007
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The theme for this year's International Museum Day, which falls on 18th May 2007, is "Museums and Universal Heritage". Not entirely sure of the appropriateness of the theme in the light of various complex issues today that various countries and museums are facing over repatriation of artefacts in collections.

That earlier mode of museum collecting was predicated upon that notion of a universal human culture and history, hence the right of the more advanced and developed nations (meaning European and North American) to declare themselves as worthy, hence rightful custodians and students of these ancient artefacts. This would be construed as patronising, to say the least, and offensive in today's terms.
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