The inaugural FORMS Convening, hosted by the Kamel Lazaar Foundation at Tilal Utique from May 17th to 21st, 2023, embodied a profound collective ambition. The initiative—born from the acronym Futures Oriented Museums Synergies—has evolved into a dynamic verb, symbolizing constant formation, change, and self-generation, akin to a murmuration of birds.
At its heart, FORMS assembles a global constellation of museum leaders, cultural practitioners, artists, activists, educators, and scientists. This diverse gathering collaborates to co-curate immersive experiences that allow participants to collectively envision, prototype, and embody alternative futures. The process is intentionally transformative, designed to expand imagination and foster a multicultural ethos that honors the unseen, the forgotten, and the intangible dimensions of all life.
As the first FORMS gathering of the year, FORMS Tunisia marked a significant milestone, leveraging the promise of Tilal Utique as an emergent hub for pioneering cultural exchange. Supported by the BMW Foundation and Instituto Humanize, the convening was both a luxury and a vital sanctuary for open dialogue and pluralistic perspectives in a world yearning for hope and understanding. This seminal event in Tunisia set the stage for subsequent chapters, including FORMS Rio de Janeiro at the Museum of Tomorrow in September, seeding a global movement dedicated to shaping futures through collective cultural intelligence.