CIOFF NEWSLETTER No 2, January 2007
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CIOFF NEWSLETTER No 2, January 2007 FOCUS ON EXCO, COUNCIL, CONGRESS & GENERAL ASSEMBLY CIOFF WORLD CONGRESS 2006, CITY OF VELIKO TARNOVO, BULGARIA, OCTOBER 28th – NOVEMBER 3rd 2006 Opening of the Congress The Opening Ceremony of the 36th World Congress took place on Tuesday, 31st of October 2006 at the Museum of the Bulgarian Revival and the Constituent Assembly. Mr. Emil Pavlov, President of the National Section of Bulgaria welcomed all the CIOFF Delegations attending the Congress and wished all the participants a pleasant stay in Veliko Tarnovo. The Mayor of the City of Veliko Tarnovo, Mr. Rumen Rashev in his welcome speech expressed his best wishes for a fruitful and productive work at the Congress. The Deputy Minister of Culture thanked all the participants for all the hard work done so far for the culture of peace all over the World. The Congress and General Assembly in Veliko Tarnovo were officially opened by CIOFF President Mr. Udomsak Sakmunvong. The Congress received a greeting letter from the Minister of Culture of Bulgaria. General Assembly delegations The National Sections present at the General Assembly with voting rights were: Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Chinese After the Opening Ceremony the Congress Taipei, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Participants were treated to the spectacular Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Light and Music show. Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Korea, Luxemburg, Macedonia, 1 Malaysia, Montenegro, Mexico, Moldova, The Honorary President – Mr. Henri Coursaget and Netherlands, New Zealand, Paraguay, Peru, 5 Honorary Members – Mr. Guy Landry, Mr. Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Rolf Leander, Mr. Bruno Ravnikar, Mr. Joao Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Swaziland, Moreira and Mr. Kari Bergholm were present at Switzerland, Sweden Thailand, Turkey, the General Assembly. Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America Furthermore, 3 countries were present by proxy: Haiti by USA; Lithuania by UK; Philippines by Thailand. This gave 57 voting members (54 present and 3 New Members by proxy). The Membership of the National Sections of Corresponding Members present were: two Montenegro, Congo (FDR) and Costa Rica festivals from Cyprus and Abrassoffa from were accepted by acclamation of the general Brazil. Assembly. OPEN FORUM AT THE CIOFF WORLD CONGRESS TOPIC : CIOFF NETWORK information or even assistance to the All the participants of the Forum had a full festivals and groups to gain their trust to discussion, expressing and exchanging their work with CIOFF National Sections. opinions about the subject from respective 2. We shall remind that the festivals have the points of view as festival director; national duty to inform the National Sections of the sections…etc. and all present agreed that such groups invited for the festivals, especially network is extremely important to our CIOFF those coming without the knowledge of work. All participants in the Open Forum their CIOFF National Sections. decided to make a declaration to strengthen 3. We shall answer all the e-mails from the their job in the CIOFF Network. CIOFF Network coming to us regardless the reply is negative or positive. 3rd November 2006 Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria 36th CIOFF World Congress TOPIC: CULTURAL DIVERSITY Declaration of Cooperation among CIOFF The « Open forum » on cultural diversity National Sections gathered about sixty people. Twenty of them • Considering that the formal and informal actively participated to the debate, which CIOFF Network is composed of three major confirmed the necessary presence of cultural parts: diversity in festivals, in the form of world - CIOFF National Sections culture or minorities existing in the organizing - International and national festivals countries. - Folk artists and groups of intangible Here is the text that led to the debate: cultural heritage « CIOFF expresses its great satisfaction with • Considering that the CIOFF Network is regards to the commitments taken by the based on exchange of information and UNESCO regarding the promotion of cultural knowledge diversity and the increasing number of countries which have adopted this approach. • Considering that the CIOFF Network will In this context, the activities of CIOFF and its help and support the different parties of the national sections are largely directed towards Network promotion of cultural diversity at a national and We, CIOFF National Sections, want to international level. increase the cooperation in the CIOFF Nevertheless, although most international Network and decide to strengthen our CIOFF festivals include programmes that show individual implication as follows:- an importance of diversity reflected in the 1. We shall offer the full and necessary 2 cultures represented by the different groups Africa, the Middle East, minorities or cultures invited by organizers to the festival, there is still that are oppressed in their own country. a great gap in relation to some of the festivals to CIOFF would like to encourage the festivals to showcase, every year, a variety of diversified work on this diversity in their programmes, so cultures of the World. that it could become an effective criterion in the We cannot ignore the economic and political allocation of the « International CIOFF Festival difficulties faced by festival organizers, but we seal of approval » would like to emphasize the importance of It was agreed that the debate would be every possible effort to represent every culture continued during the future international of the world, which should be better recognized congresses, as in future cultural diversity should by festivals, the main mission of which is to be a fundamental element of CIOFF policy and serve as a meeting and communication place credibility. between cultures, should be better defined. (Bernard CRINER It is therefore not acceptable that a CIOFF CIOFF-France President Festival does not invite once over ten years a Member of Festival Commission) group coming from African cultures, Northern FOCUS ON NATIONAL SECTIONS CIOFF HUNGARY NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR Hungary. Some of the resulting statistics and FOLKLORE FESTIVAL DIRECTORS: conclusions may prove useful to other CIOFF CIOFF Hungary organized a national National Sections. conference for folklore festival directors in The following aspects were covered by the Hungary on 20-21 November 2006. Survey: 1. Folk art in the media 2. Public image, conceptions and view of folk art 3. Current status of folk art as seen by the professionals 4. Marketing of folk art – international results For festival organizers, the results of the second The single focus point of the 2-day event was aspect were of the greatest significance. Here analysis and discussions of the results of a study are a few of the important conclusions: conducted recently by the National Cultural • Childhood, greatly influenced by the Fund. The Fund is the primary financial family and education system, is the supporter of cultural events in Hungary. The period of paramount importance in study was a national survey of folk art in establishing an interest in folk art. 3 • Reasons for individual’s lack of the work we do with children. Another interest or outright rejection are: significant message was that we have to - no childhood exposure resulting in no ties increase all the PR activity regarding festivals. with folk art - not considered fashionable or trendy PERFORMING FOLK MUSIC ATTAINS - not compatible with today’s lifestyles ACADEMIC STATUS IN HUNGARY - high costs (of artifacts and folk art products) A significant event in the history of the folk art - lack of national pride movement in Hungary: as of the 2007-08 - fear of being labeled an extreme nationalist academic year, the Hungarian Academy of - looked down upon, considered old-fashioned Music will also offer various degree courses in - discontinuity in transmission of folk heritage folk music. Apart from ethnomusicology, the • In a representative sample of the curriculum includes integrated theoretical and population surveyed, only 10% of the practical courses of study and offers training for Hungarian population indicated an performing musicians. interest in folk art. Out of this 10%,the largest portion - 29% - were interested in folk art objects, artifacts and costumes, 16% were interested in folk dance, 10% in folk music and songs, and 4% showed an interest in folk art festivals, and events. These proportions were similar to and in some cases higher than the results found for other The faculty is comprised of experts and culture or art-related areas (i.e. interest in researchers in the field ethnomusicology, music theatre, reading, etc.) teachers as well as prominent representatives of Conclusions regarding values and attitudes: authentic folk music: instrumental and singing 1. Folk art and folklore have an important inhabitants from the villages. In the words of cultural and social role the contemporary Hungarian composer Emil 2. Folk art and folklore need state funding Petrovics, “Having a university-level degree 3. In general people with higher education, programme for the training of scholars, teachers those who are religious, conservative, have and performing folk musicians, might just be families and those who live in smaller towns the last saving grace in the effort to obstruct the show the most interest monopolistic rule of “junk-music” prevalent in 4. Representation in the media is considered the world today.”