Global Maritime Heritage for a Peaceful Future
The seas that connect us all call for peace.
As guardians of humanity’s maritime heritage, the International Congress of Maritime Museums (ICMM) represents institutions across every ocean and continent, united by our shared commitment to preserving the stories of how civilizations have connected, traded, and thrived through our relationship with the sea.
Throughout history, the world’s oceans have been both pathways to understanding and theaters of conflict. Our collections bear witness to humanity’s capacity for both cooperation and destruction upon the waters that unite us all. From ancient trade routes that fostered cultural exchange to naval battles that divided nations, maritime history teaches us that the sea reflects our choices as a global community.
Today, we choose peace.
ICMM calls upon the nations and peoples of the world to embrace the ocean’s true nature, not as a barrier to be crossed in conquest, but as the great connector that binds us together in common purpose. Our maritime heritage demonstrates that when nations collaborate across the seas, humanity prospers through:
- Cultural Exchange: The sharing of knowledge, art, and traditions that enriches all civilizations.
- Economic Partnership: Trade relationships that build prosperity and mutual dependence.
- Environmental Stewardship: Joint efforts to protect the ocean ecosystems upon which all life depends.
- Scientific Advancement: Collaborative research and exploration that benefits all humanity.
- Humanitarian Cooperation: Maritime rescue operations and disaster relief that transcend national boundaries.
As maritime museums, we have witnessed how the sea has carried not only goods and explorers, but also refugees seeking safety, families pursuing new opportunities, and communities fleeing conflict. The ocean’s capacity to offer sanctuary and new beginnings reminds us that peace creates the conditions for human flourishing.
We call upon world leaders to:
- Resolve international disputes through dialogue and diplomacy rather than force.
- Protect maritime trade routes as peaceful corridors of global commerce.
- Collaborate on ocean conservation efforts that require international cooperation.
- Support maritime heritage preservation as a bridge between cultures.
- Ensure safe passage for all peaceful maritime activities.
We commit ourselves to:
- Telling inclusive maritime stories that celebrate our shared humanity.
- Creating educational programs that promote cross-cultural understanding.
- Fostering international partnerships that transcend political boundaries.
- Supporting maritime heritage as a foundation for peaceful cooperation.
- Serving as neutral ground where all nations and peoples can find common cause.
The maritime museums of the world stand together in this conviction: the same oceans that have witnessed humanity’s conflicts must now become the pathways to lasting peace. Let our shared maritime heritage remind us that we are one human family navigating the same blue planet.
The tide of history turns toward those who choose cooperation over conflict, understanding over isolation, and peace over war. We invite all institutions, governments, and individuals to join us in charting a course toward a more peaceful world.
For the sea connects us all, and in that connection lies our hope.
Endorsed by the Executive Council and Members of the International Congress of Maritime Museums
Representing maritime museums across six continents in service of global understanding and peace.