R 012307Z DEC 00
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS
SPECIAL EMBASSY PROGRAM

UNCLAS STATE 229009 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR PAOS AND CAOS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO OEXC SCUL
SUBJECT: OFFICE OF CITIZEN EXCHANGES GRANT TO THE AMERICAN 
ASSOCIATION OF MUSEUMS 
 
¶1.  ACTION SUMMARY:  THIS TELEGRAM HAS BEEN CLEARED WITH 
M/PP (SEP).  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE#S OFFICE OF CITIZEN 
EXCHANGES IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE A GRANT AWARD TO THE 
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF MUSEUMS (AAM) FOR THE INTERNATIONAL 
PARTNERSHIPS AMONG MUSEUMS (IPAM) PROGRAM.  THE GOAL OF 
THIS PROGRAM IS TO ESTABLISH MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL, 
SUSTAINABLE LINKAGES BETWEEN MUSEUMS IN THE U.S. AND 
 
ABROAD.  THIS 2001-2003 GRANT WILL PROVIDE FOR 20 LINKAGES, 
AND AAM WILL RAISE PRIVATE FUNDING FOR AN ADDITIONAL 7 
LINKAGES TO BE DISTRIBUTED EQUITABLY AMONG PARTICIPATING 
GEOGRAPHIC AREAS.  PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTIONS WILL BE ASKED TO 
ASSIS IN COORDINATING THESE LINKAGES AS WELL.  IPAM 
PROVIDES A UNIQUE INTERCULTURAL OPPORTUNITY FOR MUSEUMS IN 
THE U.S. AND THEIR COUNTERPART INSTITUTIONS OVERSEAS TO 
ESTABLISH LASTING TIES BY CONDUCTING JOINT OR COMPLEMENTARY 
PROJECTS AND EXCHANGING MID-LEVEL STAFF MEMBERS FOR 
RESIDENCIES OF AT LEAST 31 DAYS AT EACH PARTNER MUSEUM. 
INTERESTED POSTS ARE ASKED TO CABLE THEIR INTENTION TO 
PARTICIPATE IN THE IPAM COMPETITION BY C.O.B. JANUARY 8, 
¶2001.  FUTURE COMMUNICATIONS REGARDING THE AAM/IPAM PROGRAM 
WILL BE SENT ONLY TO POSTS INDICATING THEIR INTENTION TO 
PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM.  END OF SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.    IN PREVIOUS CYCLES OF THIS PROGRAM, PARTICIPATING 
INSTITUTIONS HAVE GAINED: (A) AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROMOTE 
INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT WHILE ENHANCING THE MUSEUM#S 
ABILITY TO ENRICH ITS OWN COMMUNITY; (B) INCREASED SHARING 
OF INNOVATIVE EDUCATIONAL AND FUNDING RESOURCES AMONG 
MUSEUMS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES; (C) ACCESS TO VARIED OBJECT 
COLLECTIONS, MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES AND CURATORIAL 
TECHNIQUES; (D) THE IMPETUS AND TIME TO INVOLVE ALL STAFF 
MEMBERS IN CREATING A PROJECT OF INTEREST TO BOTH 
INSTITUTIONS. 
 
¶3.    MUSEUMS OF ANY SIZE AND DISCIPLINE, IN THE UNITED 
STATES AND ABROAD, ARE ELIGIBLE TO TAKE PART IN THIS 
PROGRAM (SEE PARAGRAPH 7 BELOW).  PARTICIPATING STAFF 
MEMBERS MAY COME FROM ANY FIELD OF PROFESSIONAL 
SPECIALIZATION.  COOPERATIVE PROJECTS MAY FOCUS ON A WIDE 
RANGE OF TOPICS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, COLLECTION 
STEWARDSHIP, EDUCATION/INTERPRETATION, CULTURAL TOURISM, 
MARKETING, AND EXHIBIT DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN (PLEASE SEE 
PARAGRAPH 5 FOR APPLICATION DETAILS). 
 
¶4.    IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE SUBSTANTIAL, DIRECT LINKAGES 
BETWEEN U.S. MUSEUMS AND THEIR OVERSEAS PARTNERS, THE 
EXCHANGE WILL REQUIRE INSTITUTIONAL COMMITMENT IN ADDITION 
 
TO INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPANT INVOLVEMENT.  U.S. AND NON-U.S. 
MUSEUMS WILL DESIGN AND AGREE UPON A JOINT OR COMPLEMENTARY 
PROJECT DURING THE APPLICATION PHASE. 
 
¶5.    POSTS IN COUNTRIES WTH WHICH THE USG HAS A BILATERAL 
CULTURAL PROPERTY AGREEMENT MAY FIND THAT IPAM IS AN 
OPPORTUNITY TO FURTHER THOSE AGREEMENTS UNDER ARTICLE II, 
WHICH CONCERNS LONG-TERM STRATEGIES FOR PROTECTING THE 
CULTURAL PATRIMONY.  MUSEUMS ARE INTEGRAL TO SUCH 
STRATEGIES, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARD TO ADVANCING CULTURAL, 
EDUCATIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC EXCHANGES.  CURRENTLY THERE ARE 
BILATERAL AGREEMENTS WITH CANADA, PERU, GUATEMALA, EL 
SALVADOR, NICARAGUA, AND MALI.  ALTHOUGH CAMBODIA AND 
CYPRUS HAVE EMERGENCY CULTURAL PROPERTY PROTECTION AT THE 
MOMENT, THEY SHOULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS PROGRAM AS 
CULTURAL PROPERTY AGREEMENTS ARE PENDING.  SUCH AGREEMENTS 
ARE ALSO PENDING WITH ITALY AND BOLIVIA.  FOR GUIDANCE ON 
THIS PLEASE CONTACT THE CULTURAL PROPERTY STAFF (ECA/P/C) 
AT 619-6612; ALSO CONSULT THE CULTURAL PROPERTY WEBSITE: 
HTTP://EXCHANGES.STATE.GOV/EDUCATION/CULPROP FOR COPIES OF 
 
AGREEMENTS AND RELATED INFORMATION. 
 
¶6.    THE PROGRAM OPERATES UNDER A TWO-PHASED APPLICATION 
COMPETITION: PARTICIPATING PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTIONS WILL BE 
THE EXCLUSIVE CHANNELS FOR NOMINATING MUSEUMS OUTSIDE THE 
U.S.  MUSEUMS IN THE U.S. WILL APPLY DIRECTLY TO AAM. 
 
6A.    FIRST PHASE: THE AAM WILL PROVIDE INTERESTE 
NOMINATING OFFICERS AT POSTS WITH A DESIGNATED PAGE ON THE 
AAM WEB SITE WHICH WILL CONTAIN ALL APPLICATION AND IPAM 
INFORMATION MATERIAL.  INCLUDED IN THIS INFORMATION WILL BE 
A STEP-BY-STEP DESCRIPTION OF HOW A MUSEUM OUTSIDE THE U.S. 
CAN APPLY.  ACCESS TO THIS WEB PAGE WILL BE LIMITED.  ONLY 
PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION OFFICERS WHO HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST 
IN PARTICIPATING AND WHO HAVE NOMINATED MUSEUMS WILL BE 
PROVIDED WITH THE WEB ADDRESS TO ACCESS THIS INFORMATION. 
IF A POST IS NOT ABLE TO ACCESS THE WEB PAGE, HARD COPIES 
OF THIS INFORMATION WILL BE SENT UPON REQUEST.  THE FIRST 
STEP IS A SHORT APPLICATION FORM WHICH SHOULD BE BOTH FAXED 
AND MAILED TO ARRIVE AT AAM NO LATER THAN C.O.B. MARCH 23, 
¶2001.  U.S. MUSEUMS WILL SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATIONS DIRECTLY 
TO AAM BY THE SAME DATE.  AFTER A TECHNICAL REVIEW BY AAM 
STAFF, APPLICANTS WILL PROCEED TO PHASE TWO OF THE 
COMPETITION. 
 
6B.    AS IPAM HAS GROWN IN SIZE AND POPULARITY, AAM HAS 
BEEN CONTACTED BY INTERESTED INSTITUTIONS ABROAD AS WELL AS 
BY U.S. MUSEUMS INTERESTED IN FORMING PARTNERSHIPS WITH 
SPECIFIC MUSEUMS ABROAD.  AAM HAS INSTRUCTED SUCH 
INSTITUTIONS TO MAKE THEIR INTEREST KNOWN TO THE 
APPROPRIATE PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTIONS NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 
16, 2001 IN ORDER TO ALLOW POSTS TIME TO MAKE THEIR FINAL 
DECISIONS. 
 
6C.    SECOND PHASE: PARTICIPATING PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTIONS 
WHOSE NOMINEES HAVE PASSED THE PHASE ONE TECHNICAL REVIEW 
WILL RECEIVE A BOOKLET CONTAINING THE APPLICATIONS OF ALL 
U.S. PHASE ONE APPLICANTS, INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONDUCTING 
PHASE TWO, AND THE PHASE TWO APPLICATION FORM.  THE 
INSTRUCTIONS AND APPLICATION FORM WILL ALSO APPEAR ON THE 
 
IPAM PAGE OF AAM#S WEB SITE.  U.S. APPLICANTS WILL, IN 
TURN, RECEIVE A BOOKLET CONTAINING THE NON-U.S. PHASE ONE 
APPLICATIONS, INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONDUCTING PHASE TWO, AND 
THEIR PHASE TWO APPLICATION FORM.  U.S. MUSEUMS WILL TAKE 
THE LEAD IN CONTACTING MUSEUMS IN OTHER COUNTRIES WITH 
WHICH THEY ARE INTERESTED IN PARTNERING.  DURING THIS 
SECOND PHASE OF THE COMPETITION BOTH ECA/PE/C/EUR AND AAM 
STAFF WILL PLAY A SECONDARY, BACK-UP ROLE.  COMMUNICATIONS 
BETWEEN U.S. AND NON-U.S. MUSEUMS WILL FLOW EITHER THROUGH 
PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTIONS IN THE FORM OF TELEPHONE CALLS, FAX 
MESSAGES, E-MAIL MESSAGES, AND APO OR POUCH MAIL OR 
DIRECTLY FROM ONE INSTITUTION TO THE OTHER WITH COPIES 
GOING TO THE POSTS.  IN THESE COMMUNICATIONS BOTH MUSEUMS 
WILL PROPOSE TO ONE ANOTHER JOINT OR COMPLEMENTARY PROJECTS 
TO BE UNDERTAKEN.  THE PROSPECTIVE PARTNER MUSEUMS WILL 
THEN FORMULATE THESE PROJECTS UNDER GUIDELINES PROVIDED BY 
THE AAM.  AS PART OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS, MUSEUM 
PARTNERS WILL DEVELOP A TENTATIVE PROJECT TIMETABLE UPON 
WHICH THEY WILL PROCEED IF THEY ARE SELECTED FOR AN IPAM 
AWARD. 
 
6D.    ONCE SUITABLE AND MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE JOINT OR 
COMPLEMENTARY PROJECTS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED BY EACH OF THE 
PARTNERED INSTITUTIONS, THE U.S. PARTNER WILL PREPARE AND 
PRESENT THE PROJECT PROPOSAL AS PART OF ITS PORTION OF THE 
FINAL APPLICATION MATERIAL.  COMPLETED PHASE TWO 
APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY C.O.B. OCTOBER 12, 2001, FROM BOTH 
U.S. AND NON-U.S. MUSEUS.  THE AAM WILL THEN CONVENE A 
SELECTION COMMITTEE TO CHOOSE IPAM AWARD-WINNERS FROM AMONG 
THE COMPLETED APPLICATIONS.  THE IPAM SELECTION COMMITTEE 
WILL BE COMPRISED OF THREE IPAM PARTICIPANTS FROM THE 
PREVIOUS 1999-2001 IPAM CYCLE WHO REPRESENT VARIOUS MUSEUMS 
TYPES AND HAVE EXPERIENCE IN VARIOUS REGIONS OF THE WORLD. 
ECA/PE/C/EUR AND AAM STAFF WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE TO 
FACILITATE THE SELECTION PROCESS. 
 
6E.    IPAM AWARDS: THE SELECTION COMMITTEE WILL SELECT 
AWARD WINNERS BASED ON THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: (A) 
SIMILARITY OF PARTNERS# INSTITUTIONALOBJECTIVES; (B) 
VIABILITY OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT; (C) POTENTIAL FOR 
 
LONG-TERM CONTINUATION OF AN INSTITUTIONAL RELATIONSHIP AND 
(D) STAFF MEMBER#S SIMILARITY OF PROFESSIONAL 
SPECIALIZATION AND POTENTIAL FOR LEADERSHIP IN THE MUSEUM 
COMMUNITY. 
 
PROGRAM TIMETABLE: 
 
OCTOBER 2000 - JANUARY 2001: ANNOUNCEMENT OF AAM/IPAM 
PROGRAM TO BOTH U.S. MUSEUMS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTIONS 
WORLDWIDE. 
 
OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2000: AAM/IPAM STAFF MARKET THE IPAM 
PROGRAM AT SIX U.S. REGIONAL MUSEUM ASSOCIATION MEETINGS 
AND THE ASSOCIATION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CENTERS 
MEETING, DISTRIBUTING APPLICATIONS AND COUNSELING 
INTERESTED INSTITUTIONS. 
 
JANUARY - FEBRUARY 16, 2001: PERIOD DURING WHICH U.S. AND 
NON-U.S. MUSEUMS CAN APPROACH POSTS WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR 
NOMINATIONS. PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION FINAL NOMINATION 
 
CHOICES ARE NOT BOUND BY THESE SUGGESTIONS. 
 
MARCH 23, 2001: PHASE 1 APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR BOTH U.S. 
AND NON-U.S. MUSEUMS. 
AAM/IPAM STAFF WILL PERFORM TECHNICAL REVIEW OF ALL 
APPLICATIONS TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY AND PREPARE BOOKLETS 
TO ANNOUNCE POTENTIAL PARTNERS TO BOTH U.S. AND NON-U.S. 
CONSTITUENCIES. 
 
APRIL 2001: BOOKLETS CONTAINING PHASE 1 APPLICATIONS AND 
PHASE 2 INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE MAILED TO EACH U.S. PHASE 1 
APPLICANT AND EACH NOMINATING PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION. 
PHASE 2 APPLICATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS WILL ALSO BE 
AVAILABLE ON THE IPAM PAGE OF THE AAM WEB SITE. 
 
APRIL - SEPTEMBER 2001: MUSEUMS COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY OR 
THROUGH PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION TO JOINTLY DEVELOP A 
COOPERATIVE PROJECT PROPOSAL. 
 
OCTOBER 23, 2001: PHASE 2 CLOSES WITH APPLICATION DEADLINE 
 
FOR FINAL IPAM APPLICATION FROM U.S. AND NON-U.S. MUSEUMS. 
 
DECEMBER 6-7, 2001: AAM SELECTION COMMITTEE MEETS. 
 
MID-DECEMBER, 2001: NOTIFICATION LETTERS MAILED TO ALL 
APPLICANTS.  SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS RECEIVE A PACKET WITH 
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROCEEDING WITH IPAM EXCHANGE. 
 
MARCH 2002 - MAY 2003: EXCHANGE TRAVEL TAKES PLACE. 
 
¶7.    ACTION REQUESTED: 
 
7A.    INTERESTED PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTIONS ARE ASKED TO 
CABLE THEIR INTENTION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE AAM/IPAM 
COMPETITION BY C.O.B. JANUARY 8, 2001.  FUTURE 
COMMUNICATIONS REGARDING THE AAM/IPAM PROGRAM WILL BE SENT 
ONLY TO PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTIONS INDICATING THEIR INTENTION 
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COMPETITION. 
 
7B.    DURING THE SECOND PHASE OF COPETITION, U.S. MUSEUMS 
WILL COMMUNICATE EITHER DIRECTLY THROUGH POSTS OR TO 
MUSEUMS WITH COPIES TO POSTS TO EXPLORE POSSIBILITIES OF 
LINKAGES AND DEVELOP PROJECTS WITH THE MUSEUMS NOMINATED BY 
THE POSTS.  THEREFORE, RESPONSE CABLES SHOULD FURTHER 
INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: (A) NAME AND TITLE OF 
THE DESIGNATED OFFICER AT THE POST FOR THE AAM/IPAM 
PROGRAM; (B) OFFICER#S E-MAIL ADDRESS; (C) POST'S TELEPHONE 
NUMBER INCLUDING COUNTRY AND CITY CODES AND THE TIME 
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN POST AND EASTERN STANDARD TIME; (D) 
POST'S FAX NUMBER AND SOME INDICATION OF ITS RELIABILITY; 
(E) POST'S APO ADDRESS OR POUCH MAILING ADDRESS, WITH SOME 
INDICATION OF TIME MAIL TAKES TO/FROM THE U.S.; (F) POSTS 
FULL STREET ADDRESS FOR EXPRESS MAIL DELIVERY PURPOSES; (G) 
AN INDICATION OF WHETHER POST IS CAPABLE OF ACCESSING ON A 
REGULAR BASIS INSTRUCTIONAL AND APPLICATION MATERIAL FROM 
AAM#S WEB SITE. 
 
¶8.    IN DECIDING WHICH HOST-COUNTRY MUSEUMS TO NOMINATE 
FOR THE AAM/IPAM PROGRAM, POSTS SHOULD CONSIDER MUSEUMS IN 
THE FOLLOWING AAM CATEGORIES; ART MUSEUMS, HISTORY MUSEUMS 
 
(INCLUDING HISTORIC SITE MUSEUMS), NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUMS, 
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CENTERS, CHILDREN'S MUSEUMS, 
ZOOS/AQUARIA, AND BOTANIC GARDENS/NATURE CENTERS. 
 
¶9.    AAM WILL PROVIDE INTERESTED PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION 
OFFICERS WITH THE ADDRESS OF AN IPAM DESIGNATED WEB PAGE ON 
AAM#S WEB SITE THAT WILL CONTAIN STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS 
ON HOW TO APPLY, APPLICATION FORMS, AND A PROGRAM 
DESCRIPTION. .  IF YOUR POST IS NOT ABLE TO ACCESS THE WEB, 
HARD COPIES OF THIS INFORMATION WILL BE SENT TO YOU UPON 
REQUEST. 
 
¶10.    PLEASE ADDRESS CABLES REGARDING THE AAM/IPAM PROGRAM 
TO ECA/PE/C/EUR CHRIS MINER - PHONE (202) 401-7342, FAX 
(202) 619-4350, EMAIL CMINER@PD.STATE.GOV.  THE PROGRAM 
OFFICERS RESPONSIBLE FOR IPAM AT AAM ARE HELEN WECHSLER AND 
LEE BICKERSTAFF - PHONE (202)289-9115, FAX (202) 289-6578, 
EMAIL: INTERNATIONAL@AAM-US.ORG.  ECA/PE/C/EUR AND AAM LOOK 
FORWARD TO YOUR RESPONSES.  THANK YOU AND REGARDS. 
 
¶11.  MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. 
TALBOTT