Through a grant from the Japan Foundation,
Museo Pambata pioneered the first Asian conference for museum
workers, peace builders and educators to discuss how children’s
museums incorporate peace in their exhibits and programs and to
appreciate the uniqueness in the development of children’s
museums worldwide. The First Asian Children’s Museums Conference
(ACMC) was held last February at the Manila Hotel where
delegates gathered to exchange ideas about the children’s
future.
Over 150 participants from all over the
Philippines and other countries attended the four-day event with
the theme, Children’s Museums as Bridges of Peace.
Main theme areas included are: Children’s
Museums and Peace, The Asian Child/ exhibits and programs, and
Marketing and Fundraising for the Museum. The speakers were:
Gail Dexter Lord of Lord Cultural Resources (Canada), Nurit
Shilo-Cohen of Israel Museum (Israel), Maricel Montero of Museo
Pambata (Philippines), Annemies Broekgaarden of Troppenmuseum
Junior (The Netherlands), Thomas van der Walt of the University
of South Africa, Bing Baguioro of Children’s Laboratory for
Drama in Education (Philippines), Toshiko Uchiyama of Kids Plaza
(Japan), Lilibeth La’O of Museo Sang Bata sa Negros
(Philippines), Tresnawati Prihadi of Singapore Philatelic Museum
, Porn-Anong Niyomka of BookBridges Co. Ltd. (Thailand), John
Silva of the National Museum of the Filipino People, Isabel
Cheng of Singapore Zoo, and Felipe de Leon, Jr. of the NCCA.
The participants had the opportunity to
attend workshops on programs, exhibits and storytelling
facilitated by the following: Don Salubayba of Anino Shadowplay
Collective, Des Lleno-Gestiada of Manila Ocean Park, Manolo
Silayan of Alitaptap Storytellers Philippines and Joseph de Vera
of Museo Pambata.
To answer questions regarding museums, Nina
Lim-Yuson, Museo Pambata president and CEO facilitated a panel
interview with Gail Lord, Tres Prihadi, and Cecile Guidote-Alvarez
of the NCCA.
The participants also visited the Museo
Pambata, the National Museum of the Filipino People, Bahay
Tsinoy, and Ayala Museum
The final activity was writing commitment statements on
ribbon strips that became one long tail attached to the huge
ACMC kite, the kite being the logo of the conference. For more
information on the ACMC, call 5231797 to 98 or email
info@museopambata.org.
