The United Nations proclaimed 2010 as International Year for
the Rapprochement of Cultures and designated UNESCO as lead
agency in this celebration, having regard to its experience of more
than 60 years in advancing the mutual knowledge and understanding of
peoples.
Irina Bokova, the new Director-General of UNESCO, has proposed a
universal vision, which she has called the “new humanism”; a
vision open to the entire human community, providing a humanist
response to globalization and crisis, aiming at the safeguarding of
social cohesion and the preservation of peace.
Dance, being a central part of every culture, constitutes the
ideal means for bringing together people from different countries.
Festivals promote in the most lively manner reciprocal
knowledge and respect of diversity; there are hundreds of millions
attending international dance festivals each year. Teachers
offering classes in foreign countries provide immediate bridges of
understanding ingrained into the bodies of dancers; there are tens
of thousands of dance teachers crossing national borders yearly.
Congresses and open conferences provide opportunities to
showcase one's work to an audience of peers; there are dozens of
international meetings of dance researchers, historians and critics
in any given year.
Even outside festivals, classes or conferences, simply watching
on television a dance from a foreign country offers the most
striking, appealing and convincing image of another ethnic group.
For vividly illustrating cultural diversity, for embodying
rapprochement, there is no better means than dance.
Prof. Alkis Raftis
President of the International Dance Council CID
UNESCO, Paris
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1. The official Dance Day message is mailed to over 150,000 dance
professionals in 200 countries. It is translated to dozens of
languages. Please ask for a translation, or translate the message to
the language of your country; send it to dance organizations and the
media. You can find guidelines and previous messages at the CID web
site.
2. Dance Day has been established in view of attracting attention
to the art of dance, every year on the 29th of April. On that day,
dance companies, dance schools, organizations and individuals,
professionals as well as amateurs, are asked to organize an activity
addressing an audience different from their usual one.
3. The International Dance Council (Conseil International de la
Danse - CID) is the official umbrella organization for all forms of
dance in all countries of the world.
- CID is recognized by UNESCO, national and local governments,
international organizations and institutions.
- Its members are the most prominent federations, associations,
schools, companies and individuals in more than 150 countries.
- It is the supreme forum bringing together international, national
and local organizations, as well as prominent individuals active in
dance.
- It was founded in 1973 within the UNESCO headquarters in Paris,
where it is based.
- UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization.
International Dance Council CID UNESCO 1 rue Miollis, FR-75732 Paris
www.unesco.org/ngo/cid
cid@unesco.org
