Brazil: Memorandum of Understanding between RCE and IBRAM

IBRAM
Within the context of its Shared Cultural Heritage Programme, the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE) seeks collaboration with heritage institutions in ten partner countries to exchange knowledge and expertise on the sustainable preservation and use of shared heritage. One of these partner countries is Brazil. The RCE already works together with its Brazilian counterpart, the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN: Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional) in relation to the theme of Heritage & Spatial Planning. But in relation to the theme of Collections, one of the RCE’s other priorities, the focus of collaboration is the Brazilian Institute of Museums (IBRAM: Instituto Brasileiro de Museus), Brazil's main think-tank and research institute.

MoU
On 9 and 10 November, Jinna Smit, Programme Director of Shared Cultural Heritage at the RCE, visited IBRAM to meet and discuss with several departments. These meetings were guided by Fabiana Ferreira, Assessoria Internacional, Gabinete da Presidência at IBRAM, and Bart van Zwieten, Head of the Political, Public Diplomacy and Cultural Department at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Brazil. The goal of this visit was to identify possibilities for collaboration and to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). As a result of these meetings, IBRAM and RCE signed a MoU for the period from 2017 until 2020. The first two collaborative projects, involving the redevelopment of historic buildings into museums and the financial sustainability of museums, will start in 2018.