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Relations with UNESCO
The principal duty of CIOFF remains the development of folklore
festivals. Performances and concerts of dance and music from different
countries is a powerfull and essential tool to have the largest audience possible, the purpose being to share with this audience the ideals of our
organization: brotherhood and mutual understanding. But from the
beginning CIOFF has tried as much as possible to bring culture through
such forms as: lectures, colloquia, exhibitions, crafts, research,...
Doing so, CIOFF gets close to other international organizations and this
is how naturally CIOFF approaches UNESCO.
Several contacts are established and during the General Assembly of
Montreal in 1975 CIOFF is admitted as member of the International Music
Council (IMC). CIOFF representatives to IMC are Fanny Thibout during 9
years, then Philipp Conroy and Jean Roche.
In those days, the efforts of our organization are very well appreciated
by UNESCO. CIOFF is incouraged in working more on scientific and concrete
issues on folklore.
This officers are in charge of creating a new legal framework to extend
CIOFF international activities: the rewriting of CIOFF regulations is
necessary. July 11 1984, CIOFF is granted of C status by UNESCO, being
thus recognized as an international non-governmental organization (NGO). In
1989, CIOFF is granted of B status.
Recalling that on this matter since 1980 CIOFF is dedicating a full day (half a
day in the begenning) in the agenda of the General Assembly for scientific
lectures and discussions.
In 1977, after the advisory meeting in Tunis, it is evident that «a tool for
protection of folklore requires not only to have a deeper notion of what folklore
means, but also of what the rules are to indentify the constitutive elements of
every category of expression of this cultural heritage, its conservation,
preservation and protection against abusive exploitation».
(UNESCO/PRS/CLT/TPC/II/3, Paris 1984)
Being a non governmental organization (NGO) working in the field of folklore,
through the Study and Documentation Commission (SDC), CIOFF collaboration is
requested for the second meeting of the governmental experts committee. CIOFF
delegation is representative of the following countries:
CIOFF takes the initiative of discussing and introducing the question of
diffusion of folklore in the recommendation drafted by this Committee during the
meeting in Paris January 1985. By the way the SDC has a working session during
the same period in Paris.
A special Committee of governmental experts is in charge of drafting the final
recommendation to Member States on safeguarding of folklore. During the meeting
in April 24 to 28 1989, several governments are represented by the official
CIOFF delegate of their country, notably: Canada (Guy Landry), France (Jean
Roche) and Portugal (Henrique Coutinho Gouveia). CIOFF is represented by the
President Henri Coursaget. This Committee approves the final recommendation to
be submitted to the General Conference of UNESCO during its 25th Session. This
resolution is adopted November 15 1989 in Paris under the name of "Recommendation
on the Safeguarding of Traditional Culture and Folklore".
This Commission created in 1989, is in charge of publishing every year the
calendar of international folklore festivals.
b) the publications of the commissions.
Since 1985, the Institute of Methodology of the National Centre for Culture in
Budapest is in charge of the Linguistic Centre.Several commissions are created:
Commission for Regulations and By-laws (Legal Commission)
Members:
Studies and Documentation Commission (SDC)
Members :
a) The objectives of this commission are:
b) UNESCO's Recommendation on on the safeguarding of traditional culture
and folklore:
First approach of UNESCO concerning the safeguarding of folklore was in 1973. The governmental experts committees 1982, 1985 et 1989
The first meeting of the governmental experts committee takes place in Paris,
22-26 February 1982. Its objective is to give a definition on an interdisciplinary
basis of what must be done for safeguarding, development and authenticity of
folklore and how to protect it from distortion.
Two governmental experts are members of CIOFF: Maria Sampelayo (Spain) and Jean
Roche (France).
The conclusions of this Committee are several recommendations concerning the
definition, the identification, the conservation, the analysis, the preservation,
the promotion, the revitalization and the use of folklore. c) Publications of the Study and Documentation Commission:
d) International Conferences:
Friburg / Switzerland; Novgorod / Soviet Union; Yamoussoukro / Ivory Coast; Bergen/ Norway.Festivals Commission
Members :
The purpose of this calendar is notably:
The Linguistic Centre
CIOFF language Centre is created in 1981 in Warsaw with the support of the
Polish Ministry of Culture. This Centre is in charge of translating, editing and
diffusion of CIOFF publications in five official languages: French, English,
German, Spanish and Russian.The editing programme consists in:
a) annual publications: "Entre Nous" news letter, the national
Sections annual report, the General Assembly report;
