TRADITIONAL ARTS ASSOCIATION UNESCO SOKÜM Accredited NGOs MEETING REPORT 24 - 30 DECEMBER 2018 MAURITIUS 

Traditional Arts Association officially attended the UNESCO meeting for the first time after UNESCO accreditation. UNESCO experts of the Ministry of Culture organized a meeting of all countries as well as to Turkey in Mauritius, representatives of the National Committee for UNESCO, the UNESCO accredited NGO representatives and artists participated. On behalf of the Board of Traditional Arts Association, Ahmet Akcan participated in the program.

Many elements of intangible cultural heritage entered on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage by voting at the General Assembly of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Dede Korkut UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage was adopted by unanimous vote of Kazakhstan with a joint proposal.

Within the scope of the program, Unesco Accredited NGO meetings were held every day.

Meetings and consultations were held in the first meeting. Speaking on behalf of the association at these meetings, Ahmet Akcan introduced the association in detail and expressed his views on the collaborations.

2. At the meeting of Unesco Accredited NGOs, Unesco Accredited NGOs were acquitted by presenting the board report. Then, the candidates from each region who were previously candidates for the board of directors introduced themselves and the non-governmental organizations they represent.

In the 3rd meeting, new board elections were held. As a result of the elections, the following members were elected to the board of directors;

• AFRICA - Seraphin BOUTE (Global Development for Pymee Minorities, CONGO)

• ASIAN-PACIFIC - Dong Hwan CHOI (CICS, KOREA)

• EASTERN EUROPE - Kaloyan NIKOLOV (European Association of Folkloare Festivals, BULGARIA)

• WESTERN EUROPE - AMERICA - Meg NOMGARD (The Storytelling Network of Kronoberg, SWEDEN)

INTERNATIONAL - Naila CERIBASIC (International Council for Traditional Music, AUSTRIA)

New management board and Traditional Arts Association joint meeting; As the Traditional Arts Association, as a result of negotiations with the board of Unesco Accredited NGOs, we first held a consultation meeting with newly elected board members.

At the 4th Unesco Accredited NGOs meeting, all participating accredited NGOs were introduced to the Traditional Arts Association and promised for presentation. In the presentation, on behalf of the association, Ahmet Akcan explained both the association, its activities and collaborations. Then he expressed his opinion on joint work with accredited NGOs. As a result of the consultations, a principle decision was taken in June 2019 to hold a summit in Istanbul in cooperation with Unesco. An executive board has been created for the ICH NGO NETWORKING AND CAPACİTY BUİLDİNG MEETİNG titled program. On the behalf of executive board of UNESCO Naila CERİBASİC and behalf of Turkey Ahmet AKCAN waas commissioned.