UNIMA International Celebrates Historic Success at UNESCO’s 2024 International Conference of NGOs

Paris, December 18, 2024 – UNIMA International proudly announces a landmark achievement at the 2024 International Conference of NGOs in Official Partnership with UNESCO. Held from December 17-19 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris under the theme “Building Capacity for Action,” the conference witnessed a historic moment for the organization. Svetlomira Stoyanova, a distinguished member of UNIMA Bulgaria and current President of UNIMA’s Elections Committee for the upcoming 24th UNIMA Congress in Chuncheon, South Korea, has been elected Chair of UNESCO’s NGO Liaison Committee for the 2024-2026 term.

About Svetlomira Stoyanova

Svetlomira Stoyanova is a member of UNIMA-Bulgaria and has education in the University of Economics in Varna, Bulgaria (2010-2014) and in the National Academy for theater and film arts in Sofia, Bulgaria – Bachelor in theater studies (2014-2018) and Master in Management in Stage and Performing arts (2019-2020). Svetlomira Stoyanova is interested in independent theater productions and so she worked for the Association for Independent theater as a Communication coordinator (2018-2019) and jury for Bulgarian performances (2019). She was the manager of the national project of the Union of Bulgarian Artists – CONGLOMERATE, which took part in the Prague Quadrennial in 2019. Svetlomira Stoyanova worked in the National Culture Fund (part of the Ministry of Culture) – Bulgaria as an Expert for Programs and projects (2020-2023) and as such took part in meetings of the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA). She has been managing stage related projects from 2015-2020. In 2023 she was selected as jury for the prestigious theatrical “IKAR” Awards in Bulgaria – she was part of the jury for the puppet performances. Regarding her education as theater critic she has visited national and international festivals and wrote about them in established magazines. Since 2015 she has been writing articles for “KulArt” Magazine – the only professional magazine for puppet theater in Bulgaria.

A Milestone for UNIMA

Svetlomira Stoyanova’s election underscores UNIMA’s enduring commitment to promoting peace, mutual understanding, and cultural exchange through puppetry. This achievement reflects the vision of its founders, Jan Malik and Jacques Félix, whose dedication to aligning UNIMA with the values of the United Nations is reflected in the organization’s long-standing commitment to the principles outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948.

2024 has been transformative for UNIMA. Among the year’s highlights was its 95th-anniversary celebration on May 20th, part of the JEM Festival in Brussels. Led by General Secretary Mr. Dimitri Jageneau, the event featured a significant panel on the “Culture of Peace” and welcomed outgoing UNESCO NGO Liaison Committee President Mr. Nick Newland, whose visit emphasized UNIMA’s growing influence.

Pioneering Projects and International Impact

This recognition also highlights the dedication of UNIMA’s executive members. Ms. Lucile Bodson has made invaluable contributions to UNESCO’s peace initiatives, strengthening ties with NGOs and the broader cultural community.

Through its partnership with UNESCO’s ResiliArt initiative, UNIMA has strengthened its visibility and impact on the international stage. This initiative enabled Ms. Idoya Otegui (Former General Secretary) and Mr. Clément Peretjatko, President of UNIMA’s Europe Commission, to highlight the organization’s role, particularly in relation to UNESCO’s 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, signed by UNIMA. As a conclusion to the ResiliArt UNIMA project, Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, wrote a message of support to the global puppetry sector on the occasion of World Puppetry Day 2021.

UNIMA’s commitment to fostering global collaboration and innovation in puppetry is exemplified by its 2023/2024 Puppetry Collaboratorium project, a vision of General Secretary Dimitri Jageneau for UNIMA Eccentric, a network of creativity and transnational and transcontinental openings, launched in Mostar under the patronage of Nick Newland in 2023.

– This initiative, profoundly supported by the Mostar Puppet Theatre, Festival FLUM, and UNIMA Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Edin Kmetas, has been instrumental in setting new standards for cultural exchange and creative engagement. The determined dedication and extraordinary contributions of the Mostar Puppet Theatre have played a huge role in the success of this project and in UNIMA’s visibility, making it a shining example of collaboration and innovation in the world of puppetry.

In addition, UNESCO has supported UNIMA on three occasions through its participation programme for projects carried out with our partners on the African continent. This successive support has led to a real structuring of the continent’s actors, as demonstrated by the most recent of these, Pro-Vocation: Roots & Wings wich part of it was held in november 2024, an international exchange on the puppetry arts in Africa, a pan-African seminar and 3 international workshops. These different projects have strengthened UNIMA’s position as a leader in cultural promotion and international collaboration, with the support of local UNESCO commissions.

A Collective Success

Svetlomira Stoyanova’s election is a testament to her diplomacy, intelligence, and commitment to cultural progress. Her achievement symbolizes a collective success for UNIMA, honoring the dedication of its members worldwide.

“This is a moment of immense pride for UNIMA and a celebration of the tireless efforts of our members worldwide,” said Dimitri Jageneau, UNIMA’s General Secretary. “It underscores the power of collaboration and the enduring legacy of our organization.”

As UNIMA looks ahead to 2025, it remains steadfast in its mission to foster cultural exchange and promote peace through puppetry. Svetlomira Stoyanova’s leadership marks the beginning of a new chapter in this journey, building upon the remarkable legacy of Jacques Félix and the vision of UNIMA’s founders.

Congratulations, Svetlomira Stoyanova!

: General Secretary Dimitri Jageneau, together with outgoing President Nick Newland and new President Svetlomira Stoyanova

: Lucile Bodson, Dimitri Jageneau, Emmanuelle Castang, Terence Tan, Franziska Vömel, and Svetlomira Stoyanova, newly elected Chair of the UNESCO NGO Liaison Committee