The Young Council: catalyst for a network under construction
Since its creation in November 2024, the World Federation’s Young Council has been driving a genuine international dynamic. Coordinated this year by France, it regularly brings together one or two representatives from the nine countries with a Young Friends section to share their experiences, develop common tools and structure a collective dynamic across the global network. In Naples, 17 young people from five countries gathered around the theme: “How to create and maintain an international network of Young Friends?”. A first concrete project has emerged: an interactive world map of Young Friends sections, currently under development. Designed as a tool for visibility and networking, this project reflects the collective momentum that is taking shape on a global scale. The Young Council thus marks the starting point for a concrete dynamic, driven by the desire to build a genuine international network of Young Friends.
Association of Friends of Villa Ocampo, UNESCO Plaque, Argentina
Dear Friends,
On 24 July, a plaque was unveiled at Villa Ocampo by UNESCO to thank the Association of Friends of Villa Ocampo for the comprehensive restoration of Manuel’s Room and the Shop.
The ceremony was attended by Ernesto Polcuch, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office based in Montevideo; Marta Alvarez Molindi, President of the Association of Friends of Villa Ocampo; the Association’s Board of Directors; Ernesto Montequin from the Villa Ocampo Documentation Centre; the restorer, Daniel Suarez; and staff from the House and the Association.
We would like to thank our Friends, whose support made this possible.
Attached are some photos of the event.
We will continue working to preserve Villa Ocampo and the legacy of Victoria Ocampo.
We are counting on you!
General Assembly of the World Federation of Friends of Museums
Naples and Caserta, May 15-18, 2025
Fourteen countries, Argentina, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Korea, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain, the United Kingdom, met or joined forces at the General Assembly of the World Federation of Friends of Museums, held over four days in Naples and at the Royal Palace of Caserta, in order to implement the new action plan for the World Federation prepared by the Executive Committee.
Fifty-five Friends, including seventeen young people and two representatives of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), the president of its foundation, former ICOM President, and the secretary general of the Italian national committee actively participated in these discussions. ICOM’s involvement in these talks stems from its recent decision to recognize the WFFM as an affiliated organization in order to cooperate more closely in the interests of museums.
Five priorities were defined during the Council meetings: to increase the number of member federations and associations in Asia and Pacific, Europe, North and South America, while striving to forge new relationships around the Mediterranean and in Africa; to develop international partnerships with ICOM in the first instance, but also with UNESCO; deepen the exchange of experiences between Friends, particularly through digital means; increase their visibility by internationalizing the European Day of Friends of Museums; and finally, continue the restructuring of the World Federation.
An effort is thus being made by European federations to build closer ties with museum friends in countries around the Mediterranean and in Africa. The arrival of Lebanon, with the membership of the Society of Friends of the American University of Beirut Museum announced in Naples, is a first step in this direction.
A Young Council bringing together one or two representatives from countries with Young Friends groups has been created to share their experiences, develop common tools, and structure a collective dynamic on a global scale.
The Young Friends gathered in Naples around the theme: “How to create and maintain an international network of Young Friends?” A first concrete project has emerged: an interactive world map of Young sections that will serve as a starting point for building a true international network of Young Friends.
As an ICOM-affiliated organization, the WFFM and its members can now establish direct contact with all ICOM international committees, regional alliances, and national committees, particularly to help them identify and connect with new museum friends federations or associations.
A new website has been launched to promote the activities of Friends of Museums around the world and provide members of the World Federation with a dedicated space for exchanges. HOME – WFFM
The third edition of European Friends of Museums Day, scheduled for Sunday, October 12, 2025, will go international with the participation of Canada and, most likely, Argentina.
Several working groups have been set up to revise the World Federation’s code of ethics, identify and contact old and new members, recruit individual members, and seek funding.
Finally, the World Federation’s office is reopening in Paris to facilitate exchanges between Friends of Museums coming to or passing through the French capital, as well as research using the international archives held by the French Federation.
Friends of Museums Day Celebration in Argentina
On June 12, FADAM celebrated Friends of museums Day at the Tigre Art Museum (very
close to Buenos Aires). Most of the country & 39 associations attended. Marta Alvarez Molindi,
president of the Argentine Federation of Friends of Museums (FADAM), opened the event by
commenting on the WFFM meeting and assembly in Naples and Caserta, and the museum
director gave a lecture on the management of art donations. At the end, there was an
exclusive guided tour of the exhibits of works donated by two important collectors, followed
by lunch and a toast. Several Friends Associations donated items from their shops for a
raffle. It was a wonderful day of fellowship and exchange of experiences.
European Day 2025
The third edition of the European Day of Friends of Museums will take place this year on October 12th to celebrate the community of a million enthusiasts across Europe, under the theme “Your museums, our passion!”
150 associations of 10 countries participated in 2024. We hope more this year to showcase to the public in their museum the actions they carry out throughout the year to share their passion and contribution to their museums’ influence.
Council and General Assembly Meeting of the WFFM Naples, Pompeii and Caserta from 15 to 18 May 2025
WFFM federations and associations will meet in Naples – Caserta for four days to exchange information and to visit the attractions in Naples and Caserta.
The preliminary program and registration form are available below:
WFFM European meeting, Parma 25th to 27th October 2024
Press release
WFFM Europe meeting in Parma, Pilotta Complex, 25-27 October 2024
The World Federation of Friends of Museums (WFFM) is an international non-governmental, non-profit organization that aims to promote cooperation among associations of friends of museums associations worldwide. Founded in 1975, following the momentum generated by the General Conference of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) in Paris in 1971. The World Federation of Friends of Museums is a privileged partner of ICOM and was recognized in 1989 by UNESCO as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), reinforcing its role as a key player in promoting culture and heritage on an international scale.
The Federation’s members now represent more than 2 million Friends. The main mission of the World Federation of Friends of Museums is to foster international cooperation among associations of friends of museums to promote mutual understanding, exchange information, and share best practices. The Federation aims to enhance and enrich the life of museums by supporting the development of these associations for the benefit of both museums and the public.
The World Federation of Friends of Museums regularly organizes international meetings and gathers in Parma, in the prestigious Pilotta monumental complex, 25 to 27 October, to take stock of actions undertaken at the European level this year and plan.
To celebrate the community of a million enthusiasts across Europe, national federations initiated the first annual European Day of Friends of Museums in 2023; it takes place every second Sunday in October. The goal of this day is to celebrate and highlight Friends of Museums in Europe with events on a common theme, held on the same day in each association’s respective country.
The second edition of this event supported by the European and associations of 10 countries, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, Romania, United Kingdom, and placed under the patronage of the European Parliament, took place on Sunday October 13 under the theme “Your Museums, our Passion!”. It was the opportunity for the 200 or so associations which participated to showcase the actions they carried out throughout the year to share their passion and contribute to their museums’ influence.
A wide variety of actions were proposed: presence of Friends in the museum with a stand to present the associations and its activities, guided tours of the museum or temporary exhibitions, lectures, round tables with art historians, drawing classes, workshops for children, historical reenactments in period costumes, concerts in the museum, partnerships with museums in twin cities in Europe, friendship drinks, free museum admittance, joint actions by Friends or Young Friends of Museums.
During their meeting in the Palatina Library, European countries considered the very good audience they got with their actions and decided to go along the third European Day of Museums, Sunday 12 October 2025 keeping for the next following years their motto “Your Museums, our Passion!” which identify clearly who are the Friends of Museums.
Generously and warmly welcomed by the Friends of the Pilotta and their curators they were able to immerse themselves in Parma’s rich and long cultural heritage from the archeological national museum to the Farnese theater and the colorful graces of the Correggio and Parmigianino painters throughout the city.
Report: WE’RE NOT JUST A TREND: ART HAS ALWAYS BEEN QUEER. GUIDED TOURS & EVENTS ON QUEER PERSPECTIVES IN ART AT THE HAMBURGER KUNSTHALLE
Written By Shanice Page
Sep 24, 2024
“WE’RE NOT JUST A TREND: ART HAS ALWAYS BEEN QUEER. GUIDED TOURS & EVENTS ON QUEER PERSPECTIVES IN ART AT THE HAMBURGER KUNSTHALLE”
Change happens very quickly for those, who keep their eyes on the past. This seems to be especially true, if you look at Old Masters in an Art Museum, which show us a world that does not exist anymore – or has never existed?
Last Tuesday, Jenny Saitzek from the Hamburger Kunsthalle introduced us to a series of formats, that present a different perspective on art and that were initiated in 2022 related to an exhibition. “Femme Fatale. Gaze – Power – Gender” at the Hamburger Kunsthalle was the starting point to explore another view on history – a queer feminist perspective. This very successful exhibition gave the necessary courage to explore new topics, in the form of a Salon Fatale. Within the Salon, conversations about diversity, inclusion and queerness were initiated, laying the groundwork for what was to come the following year.
In her half hour talk, Jenny Saitzek laid out the four different formats that were organized by the Kunsthalle, namely:
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Queer Collection Tours
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Drag – Guided Museum Tours
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Queer Salon
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Pride Week
Jenny explored the team’s idea of introducing a queer gaze to the museum, and the doubts and difficulties that crossed their path in the process, even though the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. But one major assumption was, that the museum would need a queer collection to carry out such an event. She realized, during her work with the LGBTQ+ Community within the collection, that the museum can reshape its perspectives, by explicitly recognizing queer content and opening up to queer perspectives. This reframing emphasizes the fact that museums do not need to create a separate “queer collection” but rather, that it is possible to integrate and recognize queerness within existing works and collections.
Jenny Saitzek then provided the audience with a series of hard facts and data, that show how well received these events are – in fact, they are so popular, that the maximum capacity of participants is exceeded on a regular basis. She ended her talk with a key sentence for her experiences with her newly developed events: Success begins with courage and ends with luck.
© Sinje Hasheider
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Reflections and Gratitude: the 2024 General Assembly in Luxembourg
Welcoming friends of museums from all over the world to Luxembourg has been an absolute pleasure for the Amis des Musées Luxembourg. The enthusiasm and active participation in all the activities truly overwhelmed us. We believe our four-day program successfully showcased that Luxembourg boasts a rich cultural heritage and numerous exciting museums waiting to be explored.
The journey began with the Academic Session at Cercle Cité, featuring distinguished guests including HRH Princess Stéphanie of Luxembourg, Eric Thill, the Minister of Culture, Simone Beck, President of the Luxembourg Commission for UNESCO, Carolyn Forster, President of the WFFM and numerous representatives of WFFM members presenting their reports.
Attendees then enjoyed a guided tour of the Lëtzebuerg City Museum, first welcomed by Lydie Polfer, Major of Luxembourg and the museum director, followed by a delightful dinner at the museum’s restaurant.
The following day featured an insightful Executive Council Meeting at the National Museum of History and Art, with guided tours showcasing the national treasures of Luxembourg. This was followed by a visit to the iconic “The Family of Man” photo exhibition in Clervaux.
The evening was dedicated to contemporary art at the Casino Luxembourg – Forum d’art contemporain, where participants explored the exhibition “Forced Amnesia” and engaged with local artists and curators, concluding with a cocktail and performance-concert.
On Saturday, the focus shifted to the historical Musée Dräi Eechelen, discussions on engaging younger generations of museum friends and guided tours of the fortress’s history. Optional activities included a visit to the European Investment Bank’s corporate art collection. The day wrapped up with a contemporary art exploration at MUDAM, featuring visits, a poetry reading, an arty dinner and a bit of dancing.
The Congress concluded on Sunday with the General Assembly of the World Federation of Friends of Museums at MUDAM, followed by a guided tour of Villa Vauban and a lovely luncheon in the museum park.
Overall, the event provided a comprehensive and enriching cultural experience, facilitating the exchange of ideas on promoting art and cultural heritage and sharing experiences as friends of museums.
On behalf of all the Amis des Musées Luxembourg, we extend our heartfelt thanks for your enthusiastic participation.
Day 1 – 2 May 2024
– Academic Session at the Cercle Cité
– Visit of the permanent exhibition at the Lëtzebuerg City Museum
– Cocktail at the Lëtzebuerg City Museum
– Dinner at L’Hêtre, Lëtzebuerg City Museum Restaurant
Day 2 – 3 May 2024
– Council Meeting of the WFFM
– Visit of the Nationalmusée
– Visit in Clervaux of « The Family of Man » (Edward Steichen)
– Visit and dinner at Casino Luxembourg 
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Day 3 – 4 May 2024
– Round Table at Musée Dräi Eechelen
– Lunch at Musée Dräi Eechelen
– Visit Musée Dräi Eechelen
– Council Meeting at Musée Dräi Eechelen
– YFM Meeting at Musée Dräi Eechelen
– Visit of the EIB Collection
– Poetry reading by Alice Notley at Mudam
– European Day of Friends of Museums Meeting
– Welcome and Introduction at Mudam
– Visit of the exhibition at Mudam
– Cocktail and Dinner at Mudam
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Day 4 – 5 May 2024
– General Assembly at Mudam
– Visit at Villa Vauban
– Lunch at Villa Vauban
– Portraits
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European Day 2024
“Your museum, our passion “
The European Day 2024 aims to celebrate Friends of Museums groups throughout Europe and to give the Friends of Museums visibility and more recognition in an event that is specific to them and not to be confused with those organized by museums.
Museum enthusiasts across Europe – united in national federations of Friends of Museums within a worldwide Federation – inaugurated the annual European Day of Friends of Museums on the second Sunday of October 2023.
The purpose is to raise the profile of Friends of Museums in Europe on a single day when each association highlights the actions it carries out throughout the year and raises the profile of their museum. On the 1st European Friends of Museums Day, Sunday October 13, we shall emphasize that museums are a heritage to be enjoyed by all and we have a shared responsibility for their preservation and promotion.
Over a thousand friends of museums associations all over Europe participate. They celebrate the importance of museums as custodians of heritage, as spaces of encounter, and cultural enrichment for all. They are driven by passionate individuals who want to share and spread their enthusiasm. They support their museums in purchasing works of art, financing exhibitions and projects, and taking on important tasks in cultural education.
World Federation of Friends of Museums, WFFM https://thewffm.org/
2023 WFFM GENERAL ASSEMBLY
On the year “Brussels, Capital of Art Nouveau”, the General Assembly of the World Federation of Friends of Museums was held in the Avenue Louise district of the town.
This artistic movement first appeared in Brussels at the end of the 19th century, before spreading rapidly to France and the rest of Europe.
From a cultural point of view, the meeting allowed the discovery of some emblematic monuments of Art Nouveau: the Horta Museum, the Hotel Solvay, the Hotel Hallet and the recently renovated Hannon House.
In addition to the institutional meetings, two topics have been the subject of conferences and exchanges: Young Friends of Museums and “Friends of Museums, influencers?”
After several preparatory meetings, the general meeting also approved the launch in 2023 of an annual European Day of Friends of Museums to raise the profile of Friends of Museums.
