Today, confronted by a difficult political and economic climate, it is hard to see how museums and heritage organisations might have a role to play in healing and international peacebuilding; yet this chapter is written from the belief that they have. As a practitioner who since 2007 has worked predominantly in the field of international development and peacebuilding through cultural heritage, I focus on areas of specific interest that represent some of the crossover between peacebuilding and museums and outline options of a possible future direction for museums of all types. This reflects a longstanding academic interest in issues around exclusion, diversity and community engagement, here applied to practice in an international context. It also reflects a reaction to a growing sense of unease that internationalism and peacebuilding are being left to the agents of official heritage – national museums, international agencies such as ICOM and UNESCO and Cultural Councils – and that other heritage organisations are more focused on their own agendas than on embracing opportunities for engagement that could deepen understanding of collections and communities, enhance skills in professional practice and strengthen their social role. In challenging times, where difficult decisions and priorities need to be made, it is understandable that organisations may turn inwards and become risk-averse; yet it is at these moments that alternative methods and philosophies should be explored and that the terms of engagement commonly used within the heritage profession – dialogue, partnership, learning – should be renegotiated.

THE QUESTION OF DEFINITION

Both museums and peacebuilding are subject to varying definitions and interpretations. Museums, first and foremost, are institutions that undertake activities for a range of purposes. Peacebuilding is a process, with different stages and characteristics and with a spectrum of possible outcomes. Logically it would be fair to assume they could complement each other: that a function and/or purpose of the museum could relate to enhancing conditions for peace. However, in practice, the complexities of peacebuilding and the diversity of museums and the range of their activities make this uncommon.