Analysing the “Festival Les Cultures Du Monde” of Gannat as a site for Celebrating Cultural Diversity!

Over the last few decades (especially since 1970s) international folklore festivals
across the globe have been showcasing, promoting, publicizing and safeguarding
traditional cultures (specifically dance, music and art) from different parts of the world. Prominently, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization) supported organizations such as CIOFF (International Council of
Organizations of Folklore Festivals and Folk Art), IOV (International Organisation of Folk Art) and CID (International Dance Council) has been focused in terms of the promotion and protection of folk and cultural heritage. A significant number of these international folklore festivals are organized by various cities, towns and villages across the world, for example, Festival Les Cultures du Monde in Gannat, France, Parade Brunssum in Brunssum, Netherlands, Mondial Des Cultures in Drummondville, Canada and WOMAD in Adelaide, Australia. On an average ten to twenty folk music and dance groups are invited from various parts of the world to participate in these festivals that run for several days/weeks, thereby not only providing an opportunity to the groups to showcase their culture, but also, to mingle with other folk groups and local people. Utilising first hand interviews with the organizers of the festival, folk group members and volunteers conducted during the 39th edition of Les Cultures du Monde - the international folklore festival of Gannat in France 2012, this research paper will examine, how the Gannat festival has become a venue for celebrating cultural diversity and in what ways it attempts to promote and safeguard the intangible cultural heritage.