Henk van der Kroon - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Hendrikus Ferdinandus Maria van der Kroon (born March 4, 1942, in Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...

) is the founder and president of the Federation of European Carnival Cities

Federation of European Carnival Cities

The Federation of European Carnival Cities was founded in 1980 and has been registered in the Court of Luxembourg. Member cities, organization and individual members are engaged in producing popular celebrations or carnivals which represent an authentic masquerade or parade of a people's cultural...

(FECC).

FECC involvement

The FECC is an international carnival

Carnival

Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...

association with over 500 members representing Carnival organizations in 52 countries with members from Eastern and Western Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

, America

Americas

The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...

, Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...

and the Caribbean

Caribbean

The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...

isles. Since 1980, President van der Kroon has been a tireless missionary, traveling the world, bringing with him a plethora of knowledge regarding the history and tradition of global Carnivals. Throughout the year Henry van der Kroon and other board members travel to member cities⁶ and local Carnivals to learn, educate and often officiate at ceremonies and special events. Many Carnivals have grown and benefited from the mentorship of FECC. President van Der Kroon has been featured as a diplomatic star in over 300 parades. He draws cheering crowds with his large rotund physique, booming voice and regal demeanor. His uniform features a tuxedo and a most impressive tall, white and blue cock hat and numerous colorful medals hanging from his neck. Conventions and Celebrations FECC organizes two events annually. During springtime (May or June) a one week International Convention is held. All members are invited to a forum which enables them to promote their carnival and their city at seminars and workshops.

As chairman, Henry van der Kroon presides over the general assembly at each annual convention which began with Patras Carnival

Patras Carnival

The Patras Carnival, Patrino karnavali is the largest event of its kind in Greece and one of the biggest in Europe. It has more than 160 years of history. The events begin on 17 January and last up to Clean Monday. The carnival of Patras is not a single event but a variety of events that includes...

in 1981. A gala dinner is held at the beginning of each Convention. During the Opening Ceremony Mr. van der Kroon presents a specially minted medallion of the annual International Carnival capital city to each participant. A particular highlight of the convention is the award of special medallions of merit to individuals whose efforts have been exceptional in making the local Carnaval, Congress or organization succeed in their goals. "Everyone can still take part, create a fantasy - and follow their dreams." he has said, but creating the chemistry of great Carnaval takes special efforts which should be recognized.

During autumn

Autumn

Autumn is one of the four temperate seasons. Autumn marks the transition from summer into winter usually in September or March when the arrival of night becomes noticeably earlier....

a less formal event called "Gala Dies Natalis" (annual birthday celebration) takes place in October. This is an exclusive gathering for members that is a celebration rather than a meeting. These events are always hosted by different member countries. A unique and charismatic individual, Henry van der Kroon is gregarious at one moment and serious the next. He has delivered the message of Carnaval to the world and garnered the necessary support of elected officials to preserve carnival traditions. The songs, stories, dances, floats and costume

Costume

The term costume can refer to wardrobe and dress in general, or to the distinctive style of dress of a particular people, class, or period. Costume may also refer to the artistic arrangement of accessories in a picture, statue, poem, or play, appropriate to the time, place, or other circumstances...

s passed on by many generations are best preserved as living traditions. The annual Carnival celebration is highlighted with a grand parade

Parade

A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...

Future initiatives

Among FECC President van der Kroon's boldest initiative is a bottom up initiative to bridge the gap and cooperate with the Arab world through the organization of festivals and carnivals. "Carnival is not about jokes but about heritage." he told a group of Maltese officials preparing to host the 25th Silver Anniversary of the organization in 2005. "If ideologies fail to create a better world the cultural and the human sense can bring people closer and push away conflicts between civilization and religions." the FECC President told dignitaries and the people as he unveiled the third FECC monument in as many years at the 2007 Sousee, Tunisia

Tunisia

Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...

Opening Ceremonies which was the first FECC International Carnival City Congress to held in an Arab

Arab

Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...

and African country.

External links

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