The Board of Directors is composed of 21 members: the six members of the Executive Committee (officers), the Chairs of the Commissions, one older meritorious person, the Regional Executive Directors (one from each continent), and (possibly) two co-opted members. The permanent representative(s) to UNESCO, ECOSOC, the Conference of Nongovernmental Organizations in Consultative Relations with the United Nations (CONGO), if such are named, shall also be voting members of the Board of Directors. The chairs of the committees (Legal, Elections, Internal Audit and Dispute Resolution) shall have no voting rights in the EC or BD, but he/she may be invited to attend the meetings of the EC or BD.
The Board of Directors shall meet at least once every 6 month. The Board of Directors can propose interim appointments to the executive committee, in case of resignation or permanent disability of a member.
Executive Commitee
The Executive Committee is composed of 6 members and includes: President (chair), two vice-Presidents, Secretary, Financial Director, and a Secretary-General. The Board of Directors may also appoint one non-voting assistant secretary and one non-voting assistant Treasurer. One person may not hold more than one office at a time.
Members of the Executive Committee are officers of the organization. All officers must be at least eighteen years old. The Executive Committee or officers of the organization shall be elected by the General Assembly. Officers shall hold office for four year terms, or until the next General Assembly.
President
Ali Abdullah Khalifa
Discover more
Vice-President
Guenter Lippitz
Discover more
Vice-President
Emma Chen Ping
Discover more
Secretary-General
Fabrizio Cattaneo
Discover more
Secretary
Jarmila Mrnustikova
Discover more
Financial Director
Hendrik Huijser
Discover more
IOV history of head office
In October 1979 the four founders of the IOV came together to start the work of building the organization, in Oostrozebeke, Belgium.
After that, they organized the first IOV conference, which took place in Mödling, Austria, from the 17-21 September 1980. They elected Dragoslav Devic (Yugoslavia) as President, Alexander Veigl (Austria) as Secretary General S.G, Philip Durizy (France) as Vice-President, Etienne Vankeirsbilck (Belgium) as Under Secretary and Erik Nilsson (Sweden) as Financial Officer.
From there on, in August 1986 in Monastir, Tunisia, the organization (IOV) elected its second president, Salah El Mahdi (Tunisia) and the work of the IOV continued to move forward.
In August 2001 in Deva, Romania, Carmen Padilla (Philippines) was elected as president during the General Assembly.
Moreover Alexander Veigl served at the organization, until the World Congress took place in Andong, South Korea in 2005, where he was appointed as Honorary President and Hans Holz (Austria) was appointed as acting S.G. and then elected as S.G. in the IOV World General Assembly in Volos in 2007. He served until 2011 and then resigned.
In 2012, during the General Assembly in Prague, the IOV elected George Frandsen (USA) to serve as Secretary General. He resigned later on in 2014. The job was then taken on by Haslina Malek (Malaysia) as Executive Director.
In August 2015, Fabrizio Cattaneo (Italy) was appointed as Acting Secretary General, and during the General Assembly 2016 in Bergamo Italy, Ali Khalifa (Kingdom of Bahrain) was elected as President, Marcel Oelbrandt (Belgium) as S.G., Fabrizio Cattaneo as Secretary and Henk Huijser (Netherland) as Financial Director.
Following Marcel Oelbrandt ‘s sudden death, Fabrizio Cattaneo was elected by the Executive Committee as Secretary General in December 2017.
New elections were held in Sharijah in March 2023. President Ali Khalifa was confirmed to lead IOV World. Also confirmed the general secretary Fabrizio Cattaneo.
Minutes EC-meetings
November 30, 2019
Meeting in person in Bergamo
Minutes:
Structure online meetings
Commissions
Face-to face meetings
Information booklet IOV
WGA 2020-China
Youth congress Brazil 2020, Nova Petropolis
Assistance Secretary General
Financial matters
Membership-fees 2020
Membership list
Website IOV world
Financial position IOV and ideas for increasing the budget
Insurances for travelling and directors’ and officers’ liability
Trade-mark IOV
Section of IOV-Ukraine
Board of Directors meeting
Collaboration with IGF Union
October 9, 2019
GOTO meeting
Minutes:
General Assembly 2021
Commission candidates
UNESCO (Quadrennial report 2019)
IOV scientific conference Latvia 2020
WGA-2020 Proposal from China (September)
European IOV meeting
IOV-Youth meeting 2020 and Commissions Meeting Brazil
IOV – Award for Folklore city of the year
Invitation for ICH NGO Forum in Bogota, Colombia
September 3, 2019
GOTO meeting
Minutes:
General Assembly 2020
Membership registration
Candidates Commissions
UNESCO (Quadrennial report 2019)
IOV-movie archive (Mr. Valko Liubenov, Bulgaria)
IOV scientific conference Latvia 2020
Memorial Book Alexander Veigl
IOV-Youth meeting 2020 Brazil (12 to 15 February 2020)
IOV – Award for Folklore city of the year
Section of IOV-Ukraine
April 3, 2019
Sharjah Cultural centre – meeting in person
Minutes:
IOV-app for smartphone
Scientific conference Latvia in June 2020
Chinese International Handicrafts Exposition
European scientific conference in Italy
Scientific conference in Poland
UNESCO
March 18, 2019
GOTO meeting
Minutes:
WGA-2019
IOV-reports 2017-2018
February 9, 2019
GOTO meeting
Minutes:
General Assembly 2019
Financial affairs
Proposal for specific commission for child, Pedagogic
Youth Commission
European Scientific Conference
Website IOV world
UNESCO report 2019
Collaboration with WAPA and IGF
Memorial Book Alexander Veigl
December 1-3, 2018
Valencia-University
Minutes:
WGA-2019 Sharjah
Youth Commission
IOV-America General Assembly
New Website
UNESCO (Quadrennial report 2019)
Membership fees 2019
About Festivals and Groups
Collaborations with other similar World Organisations in Folk Art
UNESCO ICH-session Mauritius. November 26 to December 01, 2018
Changing meeting system for online meetings
Official IOV gift for events
Memorial book Alexander Veigl
Secretarial assistance
October 13, 2018
Skype meeting
Minutes:
WGA-2019
Invitation IOV America General Assembly
New Website www.iov.world
UNESCO quadrienal report until end of 2019
China meeting
Folk Art Festival in Dubai
Collaboration with WAPA
Collaboration with IGF
UNESCO ICH session in Port Louis, Mauritius
International Conference of NGOS (Unesco Headquarters)
IOV-pins
Miscellaneous:
Book Alexander Veigl
Official gift for Events
Changing Electronic meeting system
August 25, 2018
Skype meeting
Minutes:
WGA-2018 Sharjah-November 2018
50th anniversary University Choir of Polytechnical University in Valencia. (1 to 4 December 2018)
IOV-America meeting in Sao José de Ribamar. (24 to 27 January 2019)
10th Shanghai Boashan Int. Folk Arts Festival. (26 October to 02 November)
Translations at the website IOV world
Asia Meeting
Paypal bank-account
UNESCO contribution
UNESCO-ICH session (26 November to 01 December 2018) in Mauritius
Int. Conference of NGOS: (Unesco Headquarters-Paris) 17 to 19 December 2018
March 11, 2018
Sharjah, Hotel Radissons
Minutes:
WGA-2018
Gold Medal for International Meritorious people
Collaboration with MENA Region
February 1, 2018
Skype meeting
Minutes:
WGA-2018
Bank-accounts
Office in Bahrein and MENA Region in Sharjah
Youth Journal printing costs
The gift to Ruler of Sharjah
Certificates National Sections
Website IOV world
America meeting
Asia meeting
Festival calendar
40th-anniversary IOV world
Polish section IOV
December 23, 2017
Skype meeting
Minutes:
Nomination Secretary-General
WGA-2018
Unesco steering scientific Committee ICH NGO Forum 2018
November 24, 2017
Andorf – Austria
Minutes:
Financial report 2016 and Forecast Budget 2018
Appointment new Secretary-General
WGA-2018
New Website IOV world
Regions and RED’s (Regional Executive Directors)
America meeting
Asia meeting
Commissions, Committees, and National Sections
Festival Calendar
IOV-History
Youth Committee
Financial affairs
Introduction Mr. Javier Illarri (Spain)
September 11, 2017
Skype meeting
Minutes:
Financial affairs
The procedure of appointment new Secretary-General
WGA-proposal
Data and archive documents from Marcel Oelbrandt
Website IOV world (new)
UNESCO regions
Scientific Conference Andorf (Austria) 23-26 November 2017
America meeting
Asia meeting
Appointment of Mr. Wieslaw Krajka as an official researcher of IOV
Commissions, RED’s, Committees, and National Sections
Representations on behalf of IOV
Scientific Conference Andorf (Austria)
UNESCO conference South Korea (30 November – 03 December)
Folk Culture Magazine
Festival Calendar
IOV-History documentation
Representation at India Folk Festival
June 19, 2017
Skype meeting
Minutes:
Financial affairs
Website
UNESCO regions
Commissions, RED’s, Committees, and National Sections
Representations
Youth-congress in Mylenice-Poland 13 – 17 July
Archery festival South Korea 16 – 21 Oktober
Scientific conference 23- 26 November Andorf
UNESCO conference 30 November – 3 December South Korea
Rewards for members
Miscellaneous:
Folk Culture magazine
New building in Bahrein
Financial report 2016
Festival Calendar
March 18-21, 2017
Bahrein-Manama
Minutes:
Website IOV
Scientific conference Andorf
5th Youth Congress-Poland Myslenice
Time to Change – booklet
Next General Assembly
Planned BD-meeting April 02
Facebook page
Use of Arabic language in letterheads and cards
Running affairs
1. Report of the General Assembly
2. Call for candidates for Regional Executive Directors
3. Festivals, paying, and free festivals at the website festival calendar
4. Report treasurer about membership fees
5. Representation on Youth Congress in Poland
6. Hardcopy festival calendar
7. International Conferences 2018 and 2020
8. New IOV website
9. New email-addresses with extensions of iov.world
10. Invitation from Kirgizstan to Mr. Hans Holz
11. Donations
February 27, 2017
Skype meeting
Minutes:
Visit of Secretary General to Bahrein
Financial affairs
Daily Operating
New Website
IOV-Office Bahrein
Polish section of IOV and Youth Commission
Financial affairs
Membership fees
Website and festivals
December 7, 2016
Skype meeting
Minutes:
Executive Committee: Yury Guryanov and Oyuna Baldakova as new co-opted members
New Website
Cards and certificates
Turkish section
11th Session ICH Ethiopia
Bylaws and statutes
Financial affairs
Voting members
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
President
Ali Abdullah Khalifa
Discover more
Vice-President
Guenter Lippitz
Discover more
Vice-President
Emma Chen Ping
Discover more
Secretary-General
Fabrizio Cattaneo
Discover more
Secretary
Jarmila Mrnustikova
Financial Director
Henk Huijser
Discover more
COMMISSION CHAIRS
Festivals & Practices Commission Chair
Geert Nijhof
Discover more
Science & Research Commission Chair
Mohammed El Nouiri
Discover more
Communication & Publications Commission Chair
Nour Badis
Discover more
World Folk Art Projects Commission Chair
Maasoma Et Mutawa
Financial Support Commission Chair
Abdullah Saleh Al-Raisi
Childhood & Pedagogic Commission Chair
Graciela Pons
Discover more
Youth and Traditional Games Commission Chair
Ivana Jandras
REGIONAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
Regional Executive Director East and South Africa
Dr. Eman Aly Mahran Othman
Discover more
Regional Executive Director West Africa
Dr. Mohamed Joudat
Regional Executive Director Africa East
Eman Aly Mahran Othman
Discover more
Regional Executive Director America
Antonio Clerton Vieira da Silva
Discover more
Regional Executive Director Asia
Dunguu Munkhnasan
Discover more
Regional Executive Director Europe West
Javier Rodrigo Ilarri
Discover more
Regional Executive Director Europe East
Lidiia Vernygor
Discover more
Regional Executive Director Middle East & N.-Africa
Abdulaziz A. Al Musallam
CO-OPTATION
Olvin Valentin
Miklos Teszary
OLDER MERITORIOUS PEOPLE
Parul Shah
Discover more
HONORARY PRESIDENT
Carmen Padilla
Discover more
LEGAL COMMITTEE CHAIR
Hanady Essa Al. Jowder
Discover more
Other pages of organizational charter
