From Rodney Huey

PHOTO - Figel, HSH Princess Stephanie, Urs & Frere, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. European Commissioner Addresses Circuses in Monte-Carlo Mr. Ján Figel', Member of the European Commission responsible for Education, Training, Culture and Youth, addressed the circus community at the European Circus Association's annual symposium in conjunction with the 33rd Festival International du Cirque de Monte-Carlo on Friday, 16 January. Recognizing the circus as an art form that is both historical and inspirational, Mr. Figel' invited the circus community to join in the European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009. He welcomed linking the Year to the annual European Circus Day to be held 19 April 2009. "The circus community has shown an amazing capacity to imagine, create and innovate," Mr. Figel' said while complimenting circus owners, producers and performers by noting that "in the past few decades, you have managed to bring totally new concepts to the tradition with an astonishing mix of acrobats, clowns and animals performing in a ring. While classical circus has never lost its magic, contemporary circus – or cirque nouveau, as it is sometimes called – has expanded its expressive means." H.S.H. Princess Stephanie of Monaco welcomed Mr. Figel' to Monte-Carlo, alongside Mr. Urs Pilz, Artistic Director of the Festival and president of both the European Circus Association and the Fédération Mondiale du Cirque, and Dr. Alain Frère, responsible for culture in the Nice-Côte d'Azur area. The Symposium opened with a short film created by the French television producer Telmondis entitled "Circus: Culture for the Millions" that captured the essence of this popular art form. Mr. Figel''s address to Symposium participants was among the activities undertaken by the Commission to help launch the European Year of Innovation and Creativity 2009. Noting the slogan of the Year as Imagine. Create. Innovate., Mr. Figel' stated, "The worldwide circus community has earned the right to stand before us as a paragon of creativity and innovation." At the conclusion of the day, Mr. Figel' attended one of the Festival's competition shows, seated with H.S.H. Princess Stephanie. Symposium members also heard from a representative of Mrs. Doris Pack, Member of the European Parliament, about her plans to follow up on the Parliament's October 2005 resolution on circuses. The Resolution urged specific actions by the European Commission and Member States to remove obstacles confronting the circus relating to work permits and visas and technical requirements while recognizing the need to further recognize the "classical circus, including the presentation of animals," as part of European culture. Mrs. Katja Vatter, speaking on behalf of Mrs. Pack, informed the circus community that it was time to analyze which of the actions requested by the Parliament had been completed and to identify additional steps that might be taken to resolve outstanding issues and to address new challenges that have arisen since the adoption of the Resolution in 2005.