Museums without limits; collaboration between Swedish and African museum

«What can we Swedes and Africans, museum workers from different countries, worlds and cultures, learn from one another? Museum workers from Benin, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Swaziland, Sweden, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe gather, and pool ideas and experience to shape the museum of the future. » (Margareta Ekarv, Stockholm, Sweden, 1992. Text to the exhibition «Sharing Ideas») Six years ago in May 1989 I met with colleagues from thirteen African and an equal number of Swedish museums for a four-day conference at one of Sweden's peoples colleges. «I was one of them. It was an overwhelming meeting. The theme of the conference was 'Death - a part o flife' and, from the very beginning, our discussions dealt with the core of our cultures. Personal thoughts about death alternated with accounts of rituals and funeral ceremonies in Sweden and in Africa. There was so much to think about, so much to discuss! When, in due course, we dispersed, I felt that I had participated in a remarkable event. This was something that I wanted to continue working with.» (Anna Westholm, Gävleborg County Museum, Gävle, Sweden. Laddikan 2/1993)