The General Assembly of the I.G.F. World Folklore Union was summoned in San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy. The meeting host was F.I.T.P. (the Italian Federation of Popular Traditions) under the baton of I.G.F.’s vice-chairman, Benito Ripoli. Putting on such a major meeting was no easy task, therefore on behalf of I.G.F. its chairman, Prof. PhD Dorel Cosma thanks Mayor Luigi Pompilio and I.G.F. Vice-Chairman, Benito Ripoli, for having striven to offer outstanding staying conditions to all participants. The following persons attended the San Giovani Rotondo meeting :
- I.G.F.President – PhD Dorel Cosma
- I.G.F. Vice-President – Benito Ripoli – Italy
- I.G.F. Vice-President – Antonio Vinas – Spain
- I.G.F. Secretary General – Rosen Bogdanov – Bulgaria
- Deputy Secretary General – Indra Filipsone – Latvia
- Board members : Pahone Pop – Romania, Birute Akelatiene – Lithuania, Zenon Kolybich – Ukraine, Vladan Tesanovic – Serbia, Franco Megna – Italy, Giorgios Cutsak – Greece, Johanes Schmid Kunz – Switzerland, and the following members :
- Josef Revak – Slovakia
- Griselda Gulmineli – Argentina
- Jarmila Mrnustikova – The Czech Republic
- Iulia Bulduka – Russia
- Evgeniya Ovchinnikova – Russia
- Ştefan Kovaciev – Croatia
- Ante Kordun – Croatia
- Malgoşa Broda – Poland
- Fabrizio Cotano – Italy
- Ameen Kasen – Israel
- Momi Almog – Israel
The General Assembly began in the Boardroom of the San Giovanni Rotondo Townhall. The I.G.F. president Dorel Cosma, made a presentation of I.G.F.’s activities during 2014. The good organisation of the Board meeting from Vilnius, Lithuania, hosted by our colleague, Birute Akelatiene, who deserves to be warmly congratulated, was highlighted.
An important issue was the analysis of the 2014 I.G.F. Caravan. The importance of this event was insisted on for the I.G.F. image and much responsibility from the part of all colleagues was demanded. The Federations from Bulgaria, Romania, Spain and France were congratulated for the effort and the conditions provided to the Caravan artists and for the way in which the shows were put on. All the colleagues were distributed a copy comprising the I.G.F. Caravan conclusions and the issues for the future.
Secretary General Rosen Bogdanov presented the contributions account, insisting on the outstanding amounts being paid in time.
Vice-President Benito Ripoli set out the documents by which the San Giovanni Rotondo Town Hall and Council offered I.G.F. generous premises as a seat for the I.G.F. World Union. In the Vilnius Board meeting, the I.G.F.President , Dorel Cosma, was authorised to sign the taking over of this seat and to move it from Nice to San Giovanni Rotondo. How to upkeep these premises was talked about and the decision was for each Federation to contribute, apart from the contribution, by another sum for initiating the activities from the new head-quarters. Another agreement was to periodically carry out cultural activities of all the Federations according to an agenda that will be drawn up in the future. The preparation of the legal documents in pursuance of the Italian laws was assigned to Mister Franco Megna, who is to inform the I.G.F. president when the documents are done, the final papers being to be signed.
Then the General Assembly was greeted by the presence of San Giovanni Rotondo’s mayor, Luigi Pompilio.
President Dorel Cosma thanked the mayor for the help given to I.G.F. and for the interest shown to world culture, deeming that we now witness a true historical moment. In his turn, mayor Luigi Pompilio showed his open-mindness and interest in I.G.F. and in furthering the values of world culture.
The most exciting moment was at the inauguration of the new I.G.F. offcial headquarters, when president Dorel Cosma and mayor Luigi Pompilio cut the inauguration ribbon. The exhibition of national outfits from the I.G.F. member countries was a real delight for the thousands of viewers. Further on there was a folk show in front of the new world folk headquarters.
The days that followed were dedicated to the two big events : the Folklore Oscar Awards and World Folk Stars. The I.G.F. News – issue no. 22 and I.G.F. Caravan magazines, which are made and displayed by the I.G.F. president , were released on this occasion. At the same time, on the occasion of celebrating 65 years of I.G.F. activity, the president made and offered everybody a special postcard dedicated to this moment. 500 pieces were offered to the San Giovanni Rotondo Townhall. For the remembrance of the 65 years, the I.G.F. president also made a special medal offered to those that had performed more important activities within I.G.F. had intensely got involved in the universal folk culture. The outstanding merits in arranging meetings, I.G.F. general assemblies, participations and support at the 2013 and 2014 Caravans, as well as the permanent secretariat and international correspondence from the president cabinet to the entire world were outlined. For these activities, the medals went to :
- Nicolas Charléty – France
- Claude Sarrail – France
- Antonio Vinas – Spain
- Rosen Bogdanov – Bulgaria
- Pahone Pop – Romania
- Meny Papanicolau – Greece
- Vladan Tesanovic – Serbia
- Benito Ripoli – Italy
- Franco Megna – Italy
- Birute Akelaitiene – Lithuania
- Mihai Berbunschi – Romania
- Marioara Sigheartău – Romania
The World Folklore Star and Oscar 2014 shows took place in a celebration atmosphere.
The Oscar 2014 awards went to the following personalities :
- Emilia Bubulac – Romania
- Franco Megna – Italy
- Julia Budilkina – Russia
- Jarmila Mrnustikova – The Czech Republic
- Johanes Smid Kunz – Switzerland
- Miroslav Dudik – Slovakia
The World Folklore Stars awards and the ‘Honoured International Folk Group’ title were granted to the following groups :
– Bulgaria – Zavet
– Romania – “Cununa de pe Someş” (‘Someş Crown’) – “Balada” (‘Ballad’)
– Spain – Qurense
A special moment was the awarding of the I.G.F. Senator title to Mr. Luigi Pompilio from Italy, who received this important title for his outstanding activity for furthering and upholding universal folk culture.
The General Assembly decided that in 2015 the I.G.F. Board meeting would take place in Spain in April. Till then, the candidatures and the CVs for the elections from the fall of 2015 will be submitted to the I.G.F. secretary general, Rosen Bogdanov.
The General Assembly and World Folklore Stars 2015 will take place in Nîmes, France, according to the proposition accepted by the deputy chairman Nicolas Charléty. The meeting will be between September 3rd and 5th, 2015, when the elections for the new Board, Council and World Folklore Stars will take place as well. The chairman’s proposition for W.F.S. is the presence of folk groups from : Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Romania, Serbia and The Czech Republic. We take this opportunity to ask our colleagues from the aforementioned Federations to confirm their presence and to appoint the most representative groups for this event, as per the regulations.
Please note that our website, www.igfunion.eu, keeps everyone in touch with all our events. Apart from this website, we have also created a Facebook page ; B.C. newspaper, radio and television inform and broadcast our activites at all times. We kindly invite you to send us audio and video materials in order for us to make known to the entire world the activities that you carry out. We are awaiting these materials on the I.G.F. president address.
