PROMOTING THE ART OF HAPPINESS

UNESCO Representative Addresses Circus Directors Fédération Mondiale du Cirque Announces 2010 Plans
(Monte-Carlo, Monaco) – The head of UNESCO’s Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, Mme. Cecile Duvelle, addressed more than 80 circus owners, directors and representatives at a private luncheon hosted by the Fédération Mondiale du Cirque (Fédération) under the patronage of H.S.H. Princess Stephanie of Monaco in partnership with the Monegasque Societé des Bains de Mer. Following a brief presentation regarding circus as a “culture for the millions,” Mme. Duvelle outlined the goals of the Convention and underlined the important cultural role of circus. Mme. Duvelle also attended a competition show of the Festival International du Cirque de Monte-Carlo while in Monaco.
During its two-day annual conference on January 15-16, Fédération representatives reviewed the achievements of its first full year of operation and announced goals and activities for 2010. The Fédération’s Preservation Project, designed to document and index circus memorabilia and artifacts collections worldwide, will remain the new year’s focus including a major professional meeting to be held in Montreal, Canada on June 16-19, 2010. In addition, the Fédération will coordinate, support and promote the first World Circus Day slated for Saturday, April 17, 2010. More than a dozen countries already have expressed their enthusiasm and scheduled activities for this inaugural global circus celebration.
The Fédération also announced its decision to admit a new member representing circus interests from Asia. The new member will be made public later in 2010 in conjunction with an important circus event.
The popular photography contest held in 2009 will be offered again in 2010. Best of show winners for the 2009 contest Ron Mikkenie of the Netherlands and Janeric Dahlin of Sweden were recognized for their outstanding color and black/white circus photographs depicting performing animals and circus performance, respectively. Twenty-four winning photos were published in 2010 calendars and displayed during the Monte-Carlo circus festival, and Mikkenie and Dahlin received framed copies of their winning entries signed by H.S.H. Princess Stephanie.
The Fédération Mondiale du Cirque was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Monte-Carlo. The goal of the Fédération is to promote circus arts and culture worldwide, to support the circus through proprietary projects, to serve as a voice for the circus community and to represent circus interests to international organizations. Its six founding members are the Festival International du Cirque de Monte-Carlo, the European Circus Association, the Outdoor Amusement Business Association in the United States, the Circus Federation of Australia, the Animal Interest Alliance in South Africa, and the Canadian organization En Piste. For more information on the Fédération Mondiale du Cirque, visit www.circusfederation.org.