Like a far away fairytale resembles the first meeting in 1988 of the representatives of the Estia Pieridon Musson with the representatives of the International CIOFF to regulate the final details of the recognition of International Folklore Festival of Katerini, Naoussa, Ioannina, Kavala, New Karvali and children's festival of Karditsa as an international festival of CIOFF level.
The CIOFF established in 1970 in France under the auspices of UNESCO. The aim was to organize high quality International Festivals of Tradition and Culture around the world through their respective national sections, which are non-governmental bodies, and to adopt rules to ensure high quality. Each year it covers large number of world events such as festivals, exchanges of traditional bands, exhibitions, conferences, publications, publishing, researches, studies of traditional documents, seminars, symposia, workshops, etc.
The Greek National Part, which was established at that time, became part of the Sector of the Southern Europe and Africa and from next year the five Greek Festivals operated with the conditions, the emblems and the support of CIOFF. Then in the Greek festivals were added those of Aridea and Piraeus and islands.
Estia Pieridon Musson already counted seventeen annual events of the Festival of Olympus and so the International Week of the 18th Folklore Festival of Olympus took place following the terms of CIOFF. With the establishment of Or.Fe.O. (Organization of Festival of Olympus) Pierides Mouses Center upgraded the Folklore Week to ''International Folk Festival Olympus'' , which is continued as the International Festival of Tradition " Pierides Mouses" which in 2009 had the number 38. During this time it has hosted missions from about 35 countries. More than 6,500 foreigners from around the world met Pieria in over 120 events in and around Pieria counties. Similarly it was hosted and gave the position of our region in many European countries and in Canada during the 3rd world Folkloriad in Pecs Hungary, in the great festival of CIOFF of Southeast Asia and Oceania in Huhhot Northern China, participating in dozens of international festivals of CIOFF with hundreds of performances. From this process the members of Estia Pieridon Musson acquired great international experience and were established in their area.
To be designated as a CIOFF level festival, it must receive the international Certificate of the Organization, to place the emblem, the logos and the annual slogans in its leaflets and to maintain the minimum standards that characterize the quality of its events.
These are:
a. to invite at least five foreign amateur traditional dance complexes
b. its events to last at least five days and
c. to organize the next within the following year, or at least in the next five years.
The CIOFF established in 1970 in France under the auspices of UNESCO. The aim was to organize high quality International Festivals of Tradition and Culture around the world through their respective national sections, which are non-governmental bodies, and to adopt rules to ensure high quality. Each year it covers large number of world events such as festivals, exchanges of traditional bands, exhibitions, conferences, publications, publishing, researches, studies of traditional documents, seminars, symposia, workshops, etc.
The Greek National Part, which was established at that time, became part of the Sector of the Southern Europe and Africa and from next year the five Greek Festivals operated with the conditions, the emblems and the support of CIOFF. Then in the Greek festivals were added those of Aridea and Piraeus and islands.
Estia Pieridon Musson already counted seventeen annual events of the Festival of Olympus and so the International Week of the 18th Folklore Festival of Olympus took place following the terms of CIOFF. With the establishment of Or.Fe.O. (Organization of Festival of Olympus) Pierides Mouses Center upgraded the Folklore Week to ''International Folk Festival Olympus'' , which is continued as the International Festival of Tradition " Pierides Mouses" which in 2009 had the number 38. During this time it has hosted missions from about 35 countries. More than 6,500 foreigners from around the world met Pieria in over 120 events in and around Pieria counties. Similarly it was hosted and gave the position of our region in many European countries and in Canada during the 3rd world Folkloriad in Pecs Hungary, in the great festival of CIOFF of Southeast Asia and Oceania in Huhhot Northern China, participating in dozens of international festivals of CIOFF with hundreds of performances. From this process the members of Estia Pieridon Musson acquired great international experience and were established in their area.
To be designated as a CIOFF level festival, it must receive the international Certificate of the Organization, to place the emblem, the logos and the annual slogans in its leaflets and to maintain the minimum standards that characterize the quality of its events.
These are:
a. to invite at least five foreign amateur traditional dance complexes
b. its events to last at least five days and
c. to organize the next within the following year, or at least in the next five years.
Through the national delegations of every country, informations and criteria are exchanged to ensure the best quality in artistic value and the individual and collective behaviour of organizers and participants. The CIOFF festivals are marked in the Annual Calendar that is issued annually by CIOFF, and includes information on the three hundred Festivals of its kind in the world for the next three years. Every year the integrity of each organization of every festival and the artistic level of the assemblies is criticized with references that include relevant scores, which are sent by the directors of festivals and heads of the missions in the Evaluation Committee. This, in turn, seizes on complaints of breaches of the rules and advises the Legal Committee of the International CIOFF to impose any sanctions.
The tale continues in 2004, when Estia Pieridon Musson disposed the foreign complexes, which hosted, to house the reception ceremony of the Olympic Flame when it crossed Katerini. Then (as mentioned above) represented the Greek National School of the 3rd World Folkloriad (which is the same as Olympics for the tradition and culture) in Pecs Hungary, and received the distinction and the honour of presenting its program to the main stage of the Folkloriad at the same day as the opening ceremony of the Athens Olympics.
The charming fairytale, which brings people together and promotes friendship in practice, the cooperation and personal contact through the folk tradition, continues this year with the cooperation of all local bodies, which perceive the usefulness of its existence. An existence that passes through the paths of music, song and dance as the main expression of friendly getting together and getting to know people, cultures, customs and habits that characterize the everyday life all over the world.
