World Youth Congress 2012
The international organization of folk art/IOV world youth congress
Sweden June 25 – 29, 2012
The IOV World Youth Congress is an international gathering of young people, which takes place every two years. Folk art and culture, intangible heritage, tradition and their applications in the 21st Cen- tury are the subjects that inspire discussions, workshops and lectures during the week-long meeting. IOV Youth are professionals seeking new ideas and fresh approaches to their work as teachers, arts
administrators, handicraft counselors and artists. They are also amateur hobbyists and students, whose interests include storytelling, singing, weaving and dancing. IOV Youth are brought together by a shared interest in folk art. Friendships are built and networks established that will last a lifetime; and when the IOV Youth Congress concludes, IOV Youth will have a better appreciation of folk art as a tool to build bridges to cultures and people.
The 2012 Congress will focus on the issues and relationships of a living heritage:
Passion and Engagement – From personal life to professional career Think global, act local Where is folk art today, and where will it be tomorrow
IOV is a worldwide organization of individuals and institutions working to document, preserve, and promote all forms of folk art, both tangible and intangible.
IOV sponsors national and international folk art festivals, as well as cultural exchanges of perform- ing artists and visual art. Through scientific and pedagogical symposia and workshops, IOV supports scholarly research, documentation, and publication on a board range of topics relating to folk art and folk culture.
The UNESCO 2003 Convention on the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, with its emphasis on research and documentation, and the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, provide the foundation for IOV programs and projects.