WHAT ARE THE TRAVELING CHAIRS OF FOLK CULTURE?

The Traveling Chairs of Folk Culture represents the main activity expressing the project of the Traveling University. The University has the objective of promoting meetings, workshops and performances to recirculate and raise awareness about the best practices of folk culture. All its activities are carried out for local communities and are non-profit.

The chairs are developed as meetings between the Masters of Folk Culture® and a participant audience, preferably of young people. During these meetings, the teacher and bearer of knowledge can be a ninety-two-years-old singer, a seventy-three-years-old puppeteer, a craftsman or a thirty-years-experienced choir: people with whom the Network has enabled enhancement projects and collaborations across the peninsula.

These people have therefore accepted the idea that lies behind the work of the Association, that is facilitating the transition of traditional knowledge from generation to generation, through learning experiences and imitation.

As a result, we have real lessons on tradition, held by those who are the bearers, expressions of a territory and a community, a social and economic history. The Traveling University is based on the concept that the best way to communicate with future generations is involving them in ferrying the tradition to new forms of innovation, so as to constitute a culture covenant and a shared location.
The Chairs are the answer to the need of many young people who are demonstrating a sincere return back to folk culture, devoid of rhetoric and eager to collect the good practices of the Masters of Folk Culture®.

WHO CAN LEAD THE CHAIRS?

The Traveling Chairs can be conducted by the Masters of Folk Culture® accredited by the Italian Network of Folk Culture.

Who are the Masters of Folk Culture®?
The project of Masters is one of the most significant of the association, which has been conducted for seven years in Italy, supported by a National Scientific Committee.

The Masters of Folk Culture® are registered as messengers of knowledge, often oral, that the Network considers "necessary intangible goods”. These Masters are designed to enhance the dissemination of projects and knowledge of a culture which is not officially recognized. The Network, in collaboration with local authorities, has signed a commitment statute.
They can be recognized Masters of Folk Culture® the bearers of knowledge in several areas connected to tradition: festivals, rituals, songs, dances, but also craft knowledge, gastronomy and all those different expressions of ancient cultural history representing the inseparable value of each geographical area.
The Masters accept to become teachers of the Traveling Chairs of Folk Culture, in order to perpetuate the transfer of knowledge and good practices.

 
How to submit a proposal in recognition of Masters of  Folk Culture®?
To nominate a Master, fill and send the form found by clicking HERE
Candidacy will consequently be examined in collaboration with the Scientific Committee of the Italian Network of Folk Culture.

THE TRAVELING CHAIRS OF THE MEMBERS' TERRITORIES

Each Member (municipality, province, region), by virtue of the participation’s fee, canl propose the candidature of some Masters of Folk Culture®, a cultural expression of its territory, by filling in this DATABASE. The Network, in agreement with the Scientific Committee and the Members Board, will assess the applications and identify Masters who may be teachers of these chairs.

The original commons of the Masters identified will become homes of the Traveling University of Italian Network of Folk Culture, hosting Masters from all over Italy.
In turn, the Masters will hold Chairs by the other members’ territories on the peninsula.
The Chairs Program will be included in the official calendar of the Traveling University of Folk Culture.
Every year, during the International Festival of Folk Oral Culture held in Turin during the first fifteen days of June, the Masters will be presented to the public and recognized internationally as Traveling Teachers of the University.

In summary:

1_propose the nomination of the Masters, with THIS FORM;
2_ become common-home of the Traveling University;
3_during the International Festival of Folk Oral Culture, Masters of Folk Culture will receive awards

TRAVELING CHAIRS OF ATTACHED TERRITORIES

Any territory attached to the Network may propose nominations by completing this DATABASE, even not being a member of the Network. To join, please list online a Cultural Heritage’s witness from your own area.

The Organization will be responsible, together with the Scientific Committee, to examine the Masters of Folk Culture®, placing them among the Masters recognized and promoting meetings about their history and activities. The Network reserves the right to call Masters of the members’ territories to hold Chairs in other members’ territories of the peninsula.
The original commons of the Masters identified can program the Chairs, with its own resources, with the purpose of being included in the official calendar of the Traveling University of Folk Culture.
It is free to join, but there’s the duty of declaring at least one cultural heritage to be included in the Network: a celebration, a ritual, significant socio-cultural activities intended to safeguard.

1_ adhere putting in a cultural heritage's expression by clicking HERE
2_propose the nominations with THIS FORM
3_The Traveling Chairs program organized on its own territory, with its own resources, is inserted into the official national planning of the Traveling University
4_during the International Festival of Folk Oral Culture, the Masters of Folk Culture will receive awards.