About Us
Discover our history and mission
Our History
ICOM Palestine was created in March 2025 following the initiative of Mathaf A. Tarabin after six years of steady commitment.
Mathaf Tarabin is a Palestinian museologist and the founder of the École de Muséologie Palestinienne et Arabe in Paris. As custodian of his family's historic museum, "Heritage from the Fragrance of the Land" (est. 1790), he is dedicated to preserving and interpreting Palestinian cultural memory.
His work focuses on ethnographic collections, textiles, jewelry, religious objects, and traditional Bedouin medical knowledge from the Ottoman period to the present.
A pioneering figure in establishing Palestinian museology as an academic field, Tarabin collaborates with cultural and scientific institutions in France, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey, and Palestine, and continues to advance intercultural dialogue, heritage diplomacy, and museum development.
He has played a key role in the administrative process leading to the membership of fifty ICOM affiliates working across Palestine's cultural, governmental, and academic museum sectors.
Our Mission
ICOM Palestine is committed to advancing a distinct and contextualized Palestinian museology that reflects the cultural heritage, history, identity, and socio-economic realities of Palestine.
Our mission is to support museum professionals and heritage institutions in the preservation, documentation, and interpretation of Palestinian cultural and historical materials.
We work to strengthen the role of museums in Palestinian society by:
- Promoting professional standards
- Fostering public and academic engagement
- Ensuring that museums serve as essential spaces for preserving, teaching, and promoting Palestinian cultural identity
Our Values
Preservation
Safeguarding Palestinian cultural heritage for future generations
Collaboration
Building bridges between institutions and professionals worldwide
Excellence
Maintaining the highest professional standards in museology
Education
Promoting knowledge and understanding of Palestinian heritage
Join Our Community
Become part of ICOM Palestine and contribute to preserving our cultural heritage
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