SLOVAKIA

The Slovak National Section of CIOFF® operates as a civic association.
It is open to all organizations, institutions, festivals, events, groups, and individual members involved in traditional culture and its folkloric expressions who accept and respect the goals of CIOFF®.
It is a democratic organization with elected board members and annual reports on activities at CIOFF® world congresses and CIOFF® sector meetings.
The founding members of the national section are qualified experts in the field of traditional folk culture, intangible cultural heritage, and folklore (ethnologists, ethnochoreologists, ethnomusicologists, dance teachers), as well as organizers of folklore festivals, folklore events, and leaders and teachers of folklore groups. The inaugural meeting of the new Slovak national section CIOFF® took place on June 15, 2018, in the city of Myjava.
The Slovak national section cooperates in the implementation of the basic tasks and objectives of CIOFF®. It actively participates in the work of the Central and Northern European sector of CIOFF® with the aim of promoting friendly relations between nations and paying attention to their cultural traditions.
Its mission is to promote international contacts in the preservation and presentation of cultural heritage, to promote international mobility in the presentation of cultural heritage, to organize cultural events, conferences, and educational activities focused on the protection and presentation of traditional folk culture, and to participate in international events, conferences, and educational activities focused on presenting Slovak folk culture abroad and the cultures of other nations in Slovakia.
Its aim is to promote and support the work of folklore festivals and groups from different cultures at international and national level, to create networks of festivals and groups, present phenomena included in UNESCO lists as part of living heritage events, carry out educational activities in the field of traditional folk culture and living heritage, contribute, in accordance with the objectives of CIOFF® and UNESCO, to the development and maintenance of intercultural dialogue, respect for cultural diversity, and tolerance among nations. It facilitates contacts, cultural exchanges, and examples of good practice in the education and presentation of traditional culture and cultural heritage.
The Slovak National Section CIOFF® sends its representatives to general assemblies, conferences, festivals, and other CIOFF® events, prepares reports and materials relevant to the Slovak Republic, participates in the activities of individual CIOFF® commissions and working groups as possible, and informs its members about activities in the field of traditional culture taking place in other countries. The Slovak National Section of CIOFF® informs the bodies of CIOFF® annually about its activities and organization. It provides information on the dates of international folklore festivals and other CIOFF® events, assists in the international exchange of folklore groups, promotes the ideas of CIOFF®, ensures the correct use of its symbols, provides assistance to folklore festivals in inviting foreign groups through national sections, and assists folklore groups in traveling to foreign festivals. The Slovak National Section of CIOFF® contributes to the coordination of the international activities of its members and, in accordance with the objectives of CIOFF® and UNESCO in the field of traditional culture, intangible cultural heritage and its folklorized manifestations, cooperates with various organizations, institutions and associations in the Slovak Republic and abroad.