The Federation

MISSIONS :

 

Our everyday work is based upon two main axes: to advertise and Co-ordinate.

 

 

Advertising

 

Gouelioù Breizh is an additional and efficient tool to promote the cultural activities of our members and works along the following lines:

- a calendar stating the dates of our feasts and festivals, is planned every year.

- this calendar is published as a flyer (260 000 copies).

- this calendar is distributed throughout Britanny, France and Europe.

- this calendar is also printed inside the Leisure Guide edited by the Breton Tourism Board, 200 000 copies of which are available in Britanny, France and Europe.

- our Web site gives an easy access to any information about our feasts and festivals.

- Gouelioù Breizh is always eager to dispatch programs and whatever information is needed regarding our traditional feasts and festivals.

 

 

Co-ordination

 

Gouelioù Breizh is a main co-ordinator for the comitees organising feasts and festivals: by gathering them, by federating them, by listening to them when they have to face problems, by giving them the opportunity to work together:

- our full-time employee can be called upon any time for information or help,

- meetings are organised all year long to allow exchanges of information between the comitees, and within the federation.

- an internal newsletter is published, as a periodical information for the comitees

- an efficient legal aid for the comitees, via a contract between Gouelioù Breizh and the CFDP (Compagnie Française de Protection Juridique) offering the assistance of a lawyer.

- information meetings are organised for the comitees, about technical subjects such as taxes, insurance, safety rules…

- we keep a close watch on any event which may have consequences as far as the comitees are concerned (for example, we organised a strong and efficient reaction to exclude them from the enforcement of a new law which created a new tax upon music shows).

 

 

HISTORY :

 

Gouelioù Breizh , Federation of Brittany Traditional Events and Festivals, gathers about fifty comitees, throughout Brittany all over its five departments.

 

This association plays a decisive part in the process of listening, giving advice, promoting...and federating its members.

 

There was a first draft writened down in 1964. And thanks to Mr Begot, Mr Geffray, Mr Jaffre, Mr Kermorgant, Mr Le Grand, Mr Le Pape and Mme Sénéchal, in 1967, the association became known as the « Fédération des Comités de Fêtes Folkloriques Bretonnes”.

 

It intended to gather all the feasts and festivals all over Brittany under a single banner, and help promote them via a global calendar. This calendar, which listed all the events was available to the general public and allowed people to choose to which feast they would attend with accurate informations.

 

These aims have always been, and still are, the keynotes of the policy of the federation.

As years went by, the name of the federation changed “Fédération des Comités de Fêtes Folkloriques Bretonnes”, then “Fédération des Comités de Fêtes Traditionnelles de Bretagne”, and in 2001, “Gouelioù Breizh” (which means Feasts of Brittany in Breton) was added to allow a better identification of the association.

 

The change was not confined to the name itself.

 

In fact, many events have punctuated the life of the association since its foundation: the calendar has evolved, Gouelioù Breizh has become increasingly present on the web. Regarding its various contacts with the institutions and the essential organisms (Tourism Regional Comitee, Regional Council of Brittany), the federation turns out to be the hub of breton culture, thanks to its members.

 

Hervé Sanquer, who is the present chairman of Gouelioù Breizh, is deeply convinced of the importance to stick to these principles which have always been at the core of the association: to gather people and muster their energy, keep an open mind and promote the various projects.

 

The way has been full of pitfalls and we have not seen the end of it, but, whatever the circumstances, the essence of the feasts has been protected.

 

Each cultural event manages to create a festive and convivial mood for all and everyone and thus promotes the image of breton culture which is dear to our hearts,no matter where we come from.