The 2026 ICOM Annual Meetings took place in Paris 24-25 June. Vice Chair Zuzana Palicová and Secretary Jaekyung Lee represented CAMOC / ICOM CITIES at the gatherings. Here are a few reflections from them:

The 80th meeting featured several remarkable moments—an opportunity to look back at the organisation’s history and its ability to adapt to a changing society; the approval, following a long and thorough participatory process of the revised Code of Ethics for Museums; as well as the experience of an unprecedented heatwave that significantly impacted the daily lives of both residents and visitors in Paris.

We at CAMOC – ICOM CITIES (new name!) left full of ideas and inspiration—from meetings with colleagues from the ICOM network and particularly previous CAMOC leaders (like former chairs Joana Sousa Monteiro and Suay Aksoy, pictured), or from keynote presentations by figures such as Amereswar Galla, Samba Yonga, and Michael Mel. We reflected on the nature of urban life in the context of climate change, in environments with exceptionally high population density and a fast-paced rhythm—cities like Paris, which are homes to or destinations for millions of people, including museums that were equally and unprecedentedly affected by the heatwaves. (Unbearable heat indoors; the Louvre and many other museums closed, even the Eiffel Tower closed!).

We had the opportunity to learn about the many activities being planned by the various committees and to share our own plans for upcoming activities.

Click here to learn more about the passage of the Code of Ethics on the main ICOM website.