ICMM Congress 2026: Community Engagement Plenary Session

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The value of this session lies in its concrete proposal for integrating community knowledge into maritime policy through museum practice. The argumentation is solid: both presentations ground theoretical claims in real-world examples and institutional partnerships. The Indo-German collaboration illustrates how museums can link policy think tanks and heritage institutions, while the Curaçao case demonstrates a bottom-up adaptation of a global exhibition. The speakers effectively critique the blue economy’s tendency to overlook social justice, introducing the concept of ‘blue justice’ as a necessary corrective. However, the argumentation is somewhat broad and lacks empirical data or measurable outcomes, relying more on conceptual frameworks and anecdotal evidence. The participatory turn they advocate is well-aligned with current museum discourse, but the session does not address potential challenges or counterarguments in depth.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

The presentation demonstrates scientific rigor by referencing established scholars (James Clifford, Nina Simon) and international initiatives (UN Ocean Decade). The mention of peer-reviewed publications, such as the Saguran Review volumes, adds credibility, though specific citations are not provided. The title accurately matches the content, as the session is indeed centered on community engagement. However, the transcript reveals that only two of the four advertised presentations are captured, which may limit the completeness of the session’s overall rigor. The speakers are knowledgeable and represent relevant institutions, but the lack of explicit data sources or external references weakens the verifiability of claims made. Overall, the content is intellectually sound but would benefit from more transparent sourcing.

The title accurately reflects the session's focus on community engagement, as the presented talks center on participatory practices and community roles in maritime heritage.

7/10

The session presents well-structured expert perspectives on community engagement in maritime museums, referencing influential theorists and frameworks (James Clifford, Nina Simon, UN Ocean Decade). However, it lacks direct citations or verifiable data, and the transcript only covers two of the four announced presentations.

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

• 01:00Session chair Sarah Lockwood introduces the plenary on community engagement.
• 01:55Katherine Bothe and Anusha Kesarkar-Gavankar begin first presentation on blue economy and community anchors.
• 10:00Introduction of the 'five functions of museums' framework and blue justice concept.
• 17:33Zwendeline Pieter starts second presentation on 'Tene Pia Seku' exhibition co-creation.
• 30:00Discussion of lessons learned about co-creation and community autonomy.

• James Clifford, 'Museums as Contact Zones' — Referenced in first presentation to argue for museums as spaces where different knowledge systems meet.
• Nina Simon, The Participatory Museum — Cited to support the idea of working with communities rather than about them.
• UN Ocean Decade framework — Mentioned as a guiding framework for ocean literacy and co-creation.
• Saguran Review volumes (co-edited by ORF and German Maritime Museum) — Referenced as a product of the Indo-German partnership, providing open-access essays on maritime policy and heritage.
• Rising Tide exhibition by Kadir van Lohuizen — Global exhibition that inspired the local Curaçao adaptation 'Tene Pia Seku'.