To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the International Organization for Folk Art (IOV) – Austria, the President, Councillor Zoran Sijakovic, the Executive Council, and members invited IOV – World, friends, and well-wishers to an International Folk Art Conference on Saturday, November 8, 2025, at Biersiederhaus History Museum, Linzerstr. 14, 5280 Braunau am Inn, Austria.
The International Organization of Folk Art is a non-governmental, non-profit organization founded in Austria in 1979 to preserve folk cultural heritage in all its forms. With a worldwide presence, the IOV is dedicated to promoting mutual understanding and tolerance among nations through cultural exchange activities, thereby contributing to world peace. As a recognized organization, the IOV is part of UNESCO and has been in operational relations with the organization since 1998.
In his opening speech, President Sijakovic welcomed guests from around the world and emphasized the importance of preserving folk cultural heritage. He highlighted some of the significant achievements of IOV-Austria over the past 30 years and called on members for continued support and selfless service. He was elected the President on October 12, 2024, replacing Dr. Annemarie Renz whose tenure was over.
The President of IOV – World, Prof. Emma Chen Ping (Germann / China) was represented by Vice President Ing. Guenter Lippitz (Austria), who read a message from the President. In her letter, Prof. Chen Ping congratulated IOV-Austria on its 30th anniversary, remembered the founder of IOV World, Mr. Alexander Veigl (Austria), and advocated for widespread promotion of cultural values.
Ing. Lippitz also emphasized the importance of active participation in cultural activities (living culture), especially among the youth in this era of digital and multimedia advancement, to preserve cultural values. The General Secretary of IOV – World, Mr. Fabrizio Cattaneo (Italy), delivered a presentation on IOV – World’s hierarchy, branches, mission, vision, and future agenda.
Prof. Emma Chem Ping, was unanimously nominated as Interim President on the 15th of October, 2025 to replace Mr. Ali Abdullah Khalifa, (Kingdom of Bahrain), writer, poet, researcher and cultural enthusiast, who, for personal reasons, resigned from his position as the President.
The conference featured guest speakers, including Mr. Helmut Palko, Vice President of IOV – Austria, who spoke on “Kindertanzfestival Klagenfurt”; Ms. Alicija Zell, who presented on “Polnische Tanzgruppe ‘Mazurki'”; Dyke Anyanwu, Assistant Secretary of IOV – Austria, who discussed “Igbo Community Wein/Innsbruck, Austria”; and Prof. Wilfried Scharf and Councillor Zoran Sijakovic, who presented on “Volkskultur trifft Volkskultur.” The speakers’ presentations were informative, educative and engaging, and the audience responded with questions and applause.
The conference was attended by members of IOV and guests from various countries, including Austria, Italy, Germany, Peru, Poland, Kosovo, Serbia, and Nigeria. The event concluded with a concert by the Musikverein Stadtkapelle Braunau, which entertained the audience with a diverse range of music from folk music to pop. Before dinner and social networking, some distinguished personalities, speakers, and the Musikverein were presented with plaques by IOV – Austria. In his closing remarks, President Sijakovic thanked everyone for attending and wished them a pleasant evening and safe journey home.
Dyke C. Anyanwu
Asst. Sec. IOV- Austria
