ITP Conference Grant report from Ma. Yohana Frias (Philippines, ITP 2018)

Written by Amelia Kedge, Assistant, International Training Programme

In March this year we were delighted to award one of the first ITP Conference Grants of 2024 to Ma. Yohana Frias (Philippines, ITP 2018).

Yohana used her support grant to travel to the Belfast from 11 – 13 April 2024 for the ICOM UK conference Common Ground: the role of museums in divided communities. The conference was a collaboration between ICOM UK, NMDC and National Museums NI, with support from the Northern Ireland Museums Council, the Irish Museums Association, ICOM Ireland and Barker Langham.

The conference was an opportunity for Yohana to hear from museum professionals from the island of Ireland, the UK and the global museum community, in a city that has been damaged by division but through the ongoing social peace process is embracing the opportunities of the present and looking to a more positive future.

Yohana made the most of her time in Belfast, and visited the Titanic Experience, HMS Caroline, Ulster Museum and took a tour of the iconic Belfast murals.

The ITP team were also in Belfast for the ICOM UK conference, and were delighted for the opportunity to have a mini ITP reunion with Yohana and the other ITP fellows, as well as with Louise Smyth, HR Business Partner, National Museums NI.

Yohana shares her experience from her visit in her report HERE, do give it a read.