Following the Advisory Council's vote on the host city for the ICOM General Conference 2022 last June, ICOM and its National Committee in Egypt had started to prepare for the 26th ICOM General Conference in Alexandria. Both parties strived to meet the conditions and requirements for hosting the ICOM General Conference, an event which often attracts more than 3,000 participants and includes 150 sessions and workshops. The General Conference in Alexandria in 2022 was to be the first one in an African and Arab country. Alexandria, as home to the ancient and modern "biblioteca" would have been an attractive venue.

However, after ten months of preparation, ICOM was informed by the Governor of Alexandria and the National Committee ICOM Egypt that they are not able to organise the General Conference 2022 in Alexandria. The ICOM Executive Board had therefore no option - much to its regret - but to accept this decision and to cease the process.

As the city of Prague, Czech Republic, was the second candidate favoured by the Advisory Council, the ICOM Executive Board therefore took the decision to mandate its National Committee in the Czech Republic to organise the 26th ICOM General Conference in Prague. ICOM Czech Republic has now established an Organising Committee that has begun to work with partners on all levels from local to national and international. ICOM looks forward with pleasure and confidence to holding its General Conference in the Czech capital in 2022.

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