Sonderband 2. International Council on Archives. Dritte Europäische Archivkonferenz, Wien 11. bis 15. Mai 1993. Tagungsprotokolle (1996)

1. Session / Séance. Experiences gained, current Situation, future Prospects / Expériences acquises, Situation actuelle, Perspectives futures - Hall, Kenneth: Perspectives opened up by the Maastricht Symposium / Perspectives ouvertes par le Symposium de Maastricht (english 41 - français 48)

1. Session/Séance: Hall, Maastricht Symposium

could be facilitated. It would also be important to use the Maastricht criteria in selecting speakers and in limiting the duration of sessions and the length of papers presented. Speakers would not always be the most eminent in their field, but they would be practitioners with a contribution to make. They would need to be assured that they were expected to present a view, rather than to make a definitive statement. The focus would be on the theme rather than on the speaker. The emphasis might be on spontaneous discussion, rather than on producing resolutions or conclusions. At least one half day could be devoted to the work of the ICA. The notion of adding an international element to national conferences is not new.

The Verein Deutscher Archivare, for example has invited international guests for some years. Adaptation of the Maastricht approach, however, would have the effect of bringing to the notice of many archivists for the first time the relevance and usefulness of international contact. It would, in effect, bring the work of the ICA to the immediate attention of many who are unaware of its potential benefits.

Such an experiment will be tried by the United Kingdom Society of Archivists in 1994. The annual conference will broadly follow the Maastricht model and attendance from non-UK archivists and archive conservators will be encouraged. ,Archives - Strategies for Success* will be the theme of the conference which will be held in Lancashire 13-18 September, 1994. A programme planning panel drawn from the UK Society, the ICA and VAN is hard at work identifying speakers and, again, the aim will be to stimulate spontaneous debate in small groups. Part of the conference will focus on the work of the ICA. There will three working languages, but as yet the organisers lack the courage to ban the use of English! Despite the best efforts of those British archivists who have participated in the ICA over many years and continue to do so, many of their fellow nationals are still unaware of the organisation, or feel remote from it, and fail to see the relevance of an international dimension. It is hoped that one result of the conference will be to encourage more archivists to join the ICA as individual members. It is also hoped that individual archivists from the different countries attending will forge lasting and productive links both as individuals and between institutions at local level.

The fact that the Maastricht Symposium was concerned with Europe does not mean that the formula could not be applied elsewhere. Two key concepts were mass participation and the encouragement of spontaneous debate. Another was a recognition of the value of international awareness in considering professional concerns. Such a conference could appropriately be held in South Americaor Asia or elsewhere if a relevant issue arose. The working languages would be different, but the underlying ethos would be the same.

Similarly it might be possible to adapt the concept for use by ICA Sections or Committees. It would be possible for them to organise such a conference if they wished to initiate or carry forward a wide-ranging debate on a particular topic. The number of participants might be limited perhaps to 150-200 and most sessions would be in groups of 30 or 40. Attendance would be open to anyone interested in the theme and the emphasis would be on active participation.

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