| World Circus Federation Announced in Monte-Carlo |  |  |
World Circus Federation Announced in Monte-Carlo
The international circus organization under the patronage of S.A.S. Princess Stephanie of Monaco was announced today. The brings together circus organisations around the world for the purpose of preserving and promoting circus arts and culture. The six Founding Members include the Festival International du Cirque de Monte-Carlo, the European Circus Association, the Outdoor Amusement Business Association based in the United States, the Circus Federation of Australia, the Animal Interest Alliance of South Africa and the Canadian organization En Piste. The Federation will serve as the voice of the worldwide circus community and will represent its interests at relevant meetings of United Nations bodies and other international organizations. The headquarters of FMC will be in Monaco, and will be supported by Monte-Carlo Festivals.
Speaking to the media and more than 120 circus directors, artists and fans gathered for the occasion, Monte-Carlo Circus Festival President Urs Pilz noted that, in the early 1970s, S.A.S. Prince Rainier III already envisioned the need for the creation of a world -wide circus organization. Mr Pilz said that the conditions for creating such an organization did not exist at that time. Increasing collaboration among circus directors over the past few years across Europe and on other continents now enables national and regional circus organisations to join forces for their mutual benefit.
The Federation will soon announce its initial projects and activities. A world-wide competition is planned to create a logo for the new Federation. Speaking for the European Circus Association, which undertook the preparations for the creation of the Federation, Ms. Laura van der Meer stated “the European Circus Association is extraordinarily pleased that the vision of the worldwide circus community collaborating for the preservation and promotion of circus arts and culture, will be realized.” Ms. van der Meer will serve as the Director of the Federation.
For further information, please contact:
LAURA VAN DER MEER +32.2.633.1503
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5 comments:
In the Land of Monaco where the Shadows lie. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
Oops, wrong movie. We no longer keep Hobbits in the Sideshow. Seriously though, who would such a federation speak for? Owners, artists, animals -- all three? What if their best interests are sometimes in conflict? To date I'm not entirely convinced that OABA is the authoritative voice of the circus here in the US. Not sure I understand the mission of the OABA circus section to the extent that I did when Heidi Herriot was there.
Ben
As I posted some time ago, here in Australia it was easier to form a Federation of circus OWNERS because they also own the animal acts.
Initially, the Circus Federation of Australia was formed to find ways to counter the impact of the AR people.
Now it is progressing to work on other matters of concern to circus OWNERS such as vehicle fees, insurances etc.
The Federation does not represent acts at all.
As a matter of fact it really only represents 3 circuses here now as other owners have dropped out because they no longer have animal acts. Those 3 circuses are all owned by one family.
I have absolutely no idea what the Aussie Federation hopes to gain from this European alliance other than, maybe, lunch with royalty in Monaco!
Steve,
I have been holding my breath, waiting to see if you were going to offer that insight. Most noble and thank you. It is a farce that, they like OABA have no voting rights, and individuals with a "seat" in Europe do. What is a "seat" by the way? A lot of people see a big fancy letter head, and assume it is big fancy organization, particularly when they have statements like this on their site, as the Australian Circus Federation does:
05 Feb 2008
In January 2008 our Executive Secretary was invited to Monte Carlo for the incorporation of the “Federation Mondiale du Cirque” – or World Circus Federation.
The Circus Federation of Australia Inc is proud to be one of the founding members, together with
* The Monte Carlo Circus Festival
* European Circus Association
* Outdoor Amusement Business Association ( USA )
* Animal Interest Alliance ( South Africa )
* En Piste ( Canada ).
These organisations cover many hundreds of individual circuses all over the world and our Executive Secretary is one of the Directors, representing Australia .
The Honorary President is Princess Stephanie of Monaco.
G'day mate,
Wade
Ben,
While we can no longer keep Hobbits in the sideshow, I suggest Gandolf will still "use" the Hobbits and they will still blindly follow along. Did you realize that 2 of the founding members of the "Federation" are "buildings?" Again I suggest, artists are not a major concern, and I am insulted and offended at the notion that animals are.
Wade
G'day Mate,
I bet you've been holding your breath waiting for that greeting too? LOL
"Our" Executive Secretary is a nice bloke but he would be the first to admit that, at first glance, he would have thought that an elephant was an animal with two tails. He is not an animal man and he has never worked in a circus. In the States I guess you would call him a circus "fan" - but one of the better ones. Just why he is an "executive" secretary and not just a secretary I have no idea.
He is an acquaintance of mine and so, knowing that I breed Macaws, he returned from Monte Carlo with the news that they had "some big parrots like yours flying around in the tent".
As I have said on another post here, I can't see any advantage to any animals or artists coming from this so I am quite content just to let it be.
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