UNIMA Congresses and
World Puppetry Festivals

2008 Perth, Australia

2006 Tolosa, Spain

2004 Opatija and Rijeka, Croatia

2000 Magdeburg, Germany

1996 Budapest, Hungary

1992 Ljubljana, Slovenia

1988 Tokyo, Japan

1984 Dresden, East Germany

1980 Washington, DC, USA

1976 Moscow, USSR

1972 Charlesville-Mezieres, France

1969 Prague, Czechoslovakia

1966 Munich, West Germany

1962 Warsaw, Poland

1960 Bochum & Braunschweig Germany

1958 Bucharest, Romania

 
The UNIMA XIII Congress & 1980 World Puppetry Festival
UNIMA-USA also provides members with information concerning UNIMA International Congresses, held every four years in various parts of the world. In 1980 the UNIMA XIII Congress and 1980 World Puppetry Festival was held in Washington, D.C., the largest event with which UNIMA-USA has been associated.
Puppeteers from around the world gathered for eight days of performances and discussions that gave many North Americans a unique opportunity to see international puppeteers in this country. The Congress was brought here largely through the efforts of the late Jim Henson, a past president of this organization.

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The EXCHANGE CULTURAL COMMISSION of UNIMA in collaboration with a number of International Puppet Festivals, now offers scholarships for UNIMA members to attend International Festivals.

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INTERNATIONAL PUPPETRY IN CHARLEVILLE-MEZIERES, FRANCE
Ann Mesritz responded about her international trip to a world renowned festival.
Where did you travel?
To Chareleville-Mezieres for the International Puppetry Festival.
When and how long was your trip?
September, 2000, trip to festival was 6 days; but entire trip was 3 weeks, beginning in Germany to visit Berlin & friends in Passau; then to Paris for a few days after the fest.
In what role did you go?
Audience member; tourist.
Describe briefly the planning process (from initial contact in foreign country, to arrival in country)
I did all I could over the internet; I also speak French which made it a bit easier. Phone calls where necessary. Most significant "leap of faith" was in finding a room to stay - hotels were filled, so the Festival Committee gave me the number of the local tourist office, who assigned me a room in a small pension about 10 minutes' taxi ride from town. It was inexpensive, clean, very nice people, and no one spoke English. I enjoyed it thoroughly, for I felt immersed in a non-American world, but I think it would be hard for someone who doesn't speak the language. The most challenging part was choosing what shows to see, since I knew virtually none of the companies and there was no information about them. I chose not to order the catalog, and "guessed" based on the list I found on the internet. Once I was there, and had a chance to look at the program book, I realized it would have offered little help in choosing anyway. So, I chose according to a couple of things: shows that had only one or two performances; intriguing titles; object theater, table top, mixed techniques and hand puppet shows, shying away from strings and rods. These were a matter of taste in style. I was incredibly lucky, and wound up having chosen some of the really outstanding performances. In fact, for the first few days, I was astounded at the almost routinely superb quality of the shows. By day three, however, I'd run into the horrible ones. Next, time, I'd avoid the guignol type hand puppet shows.
How was trip funded (grant, performance fees, scholarship, savings, etc.)?
Savings.
What was the most valuable part of the experience?
Hard to pick any one thing. I loved it all - the experience as a whole, the lovely medieval town in a beautiful setting, the shows, the many good restaurants that weren't outrageously expensive, the charming and colorful character who sold medieval snacks and drinks in a corner of the square and hearing his stories; talking with a lovely Greek couple who were there to visit their son, who is in the puppetry programthere and to see the shows . . .
What would you do differently next time?
Start making plans sooner.