Presentation of issue No. 13 of Chaski magazine, published by the Regional Alliance for Latin America and the Caribbean of the International Council of Museums (ICOM LAC).

This year, ICOM proposed the theme “Museums Uniting a Divided World” for International Museum Day (IMD). This theme brings two important issues to the fore. On the one hand, it makes clear that we are undeniably facing a world going through a difficult period, in which political, ideological, cultural and regional divisions, among others, reveal the complexity of the current situation.

On the other hand, the theme also offers a glimmer of hope, as it presents museums as agents capable of becoming the mortar or glue that helps bring people together.

In response to this challenge, the magazine’s Editorial Committee has put forward the idea that museums in our region have certain distinctive characteristics compared with those of our colleagues elsewhere in the world. In seeking ways to bring together a world under tension, we have embraced the metaphor of a bridge — but not just any bridge: not one that is built, but one that is woven collectively, for the benefit of everyone. A bridge like those crossed by the ancient chaskis in the central Andes: flexible bridges that mediated between mountains and valleys, seas and rivers, and between peoples and their diverse memories, knowledge and experiences. Hence, the idea of museums as bridges: spaces that open themselves to listening, dialogue and collective construction from critical and decolonial perspectives; that promote the protection of the planet and its environment, the active and democratic participation of communities, and the use of tools that help build informed and democratic societies; spaces that embrace a plurality of voices and defend peace.

This year, we also extended bridges through open calls to establish our Editorial Committee and to invite contributions of ideas and experiences that speak of bridges and connect different localities and experiences across our vast and diverse region. Other knots in our woven bridge are intended to overcome language barriers, which we have sought to narrow through a publication in three languages: Spanish, Portuguese and English.

For this reason, the cover of this issue presents a literal image of a bridge. Inside, however, readers will find a series of images that evoke the ways in which museums build bridges between different cultures, periods, generations and social groups: they are the knots in the networks. Just as the 1972 Santiago de Chile Round Table and the new 2026 ICOM Code of Ethics place society at the heart of museum practice, the selection of images for Chaski focuses on representing the diversity of forms, colours and experiences, as well as dialogue and the active presence of people within these institutions.

Magazine Launch Event:

 

Since 2025, Chaski magazine has had its own website, where you can consult all its issues:

https://revistachaski-icomlac.com/

 

(Translated from Spanish into English, Portuguese and French with the assistance of a large language model (LLM).)