International Folklore Meetings held in Lublin is one of the largest festivals in eastern Poland, which for 40 years has been promoting and popularising the folklore of various countries among the residents of Lublin and the region. It is an opportunity to present a repertoire of folk dances, songs and music, which are performed alternately each year by invited adult and children's and youth groups. During the festival in Lublin, there are dance and music concerts, parades, animations for residents, artistic workshops, and a folk art and handicraft fair. The festival is held under the auspices of CIOFF® - the International Council of Organizations for Folklore Festivals and Folk Art and has been included in the world calendar of folklore festivals. The organiser of the International Folklore Meetings is the Song and Dance Ensemble ‘Lublin’, one of the oldest and largest folklore ensembles in Poland. The festival has received numerous prestigious awards and distinctions. It is a cultural event which, with all the richness and diversity of cultural life in Lublin and the region, enjoys enormous interest from audiences, strengthens friendly contacts and bonds, and teaches respect and protection for both one's own cultural heritage and that of other nations. Several hundred ensembles from over 70 countries have performed on the festival stages in Lublin so far.