International Delphic Council

The International Delphic Council (IDC) is the supreme authority for all matters regarding the Delphic Games and Junior Delphic Games. The main purpose of the worldwide, non-profit organisation is the reintroduction of the Delphic Games following the example set by the Olympic Games of the Modern Era and the introduction of Junior Delphic Games.

Historic Reference

The Delphic Games of the Modern Era are a spiritual rebirth of the Delphic Games held in ancient times. A peace dedicated competition for the arts – the Delphic Games are claimed in ancient Greece for about thousand years as the cultural and spiritual leadership with an equal high standing in society as the Olympic Games.The history of the Delphic (Pythian) Games reaches back 2600 years into the past. The Games took place in every year preceding the Olympic Games. The Pan-Hellenic events were dedicated to the god Apollo, who symbolised light and beauty, music, poetry, the healing arts and the Delphic oracle.The Delphic Games were prohibited and banned as heathen events in 394 AD by the Emperor Theodosius.

History of the Modern Era

thumb|NDC Korea won the bidding procedure for hosting the III. Delphic Games 2009,IDC Board Meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa end of March 2006 - (from left): Jae-yun Kim, National Assembly Member of Korea; Prof. Geonyong Lee, President NDC Korea; Sylke Heil, IDC Board Member and President NDC USA; Zolani Mkiva, President NDC South Africa

In 1994, 100 years after the revival of the Olympic Games, representatives from 18 nations from 5 continents followed the invitation of the founder of the modern Delphic movement, J. Christian B. Kirsch, to the founding congress of the International Delphic Council in Berlin.

In 1997 in Tbilisi the first Junior Delphic Games took place with 1700 participants from 16 nations. Patrons included the former Georgian President Edward Shevardnadze, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Daniel Tarschys, and the Director General of UNESCO, Federico Mayor. President Shevardnadze declared: “I do call on all those, who consider as their matter the idea of a harmonious human co-existence and a cultural rapprochement of the peoples, to support the Delphic movement and this wonderful dream of the children coming true. The foundations for that have been laid down by the First Junior Delphic Games in Georgia.”

In 2000 the first Delphic Games of the Modern Era took place in Moscow, with the support of President Vladimir Putin and the Patriarch Alexeij II. Patrons included the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Dr. Walter Schwimmer and the Alternate President of the World Council of Greeks Abroad (SAE) Kostas Pappas.

In 2003 the II Junior Delphic Games took place in Düsseldorf. Patron was again Walter Schwimmer.

In 2005 the II Delphic Games took place in Kuching, Malaysia. A last minute incident originating from Russia contributed towards the suspension of the Games Proper; but a diplomatic solution from the Sarawak Tourism Board helped to minimise the total cancellation by allowing certain aspects of the Games to be held within limited resources but without full international participation.

The Games will take place every 2 years, alternately as Delphic Games and Junior Delphic Games.

Participants

Every nation sends its best artists and representatives of arts and culture, selected from the entire nation, to the Delphic Games. The presentations of the games, taking the form of exhibitions and demonstrations, mirror the artistic diversity and cultural wealth and heritage of our planet.

Commissions

The Arts Commission consists of sophisticated specialists. They decide upon the Delphic Arts Categories and Criteria and define the rules of participation in the Games.The Marketing Commission will consist of sophisticated specialists of all continents. They will decide upon the Marketing Strategies, Sponsoring Programmes and will develop special Formats.

Art Categories & Art Disciplines

MUSIC & ACOUSTIC ARTS – i.e. singing, instruments, choir, orchestra, preservation of intangible heritage)
PERFORMING ARTS – i.e. dance, theatre, circus, photography, film, etc. and preservation of intangible heritage)
LINGUAL ARTS – i.e. poetry, writing, fairytale telling, literary translation, moderation, debating, etc. and preservation of intangible heritage)
CRAFT, DESIGN & VISUAL ARTS – i.e. painting, sculpture, pho-tography, goldsmith, cutting, book binding, instrument making, weaving, and knitting
COMMUNICATION & SOCIAL ARTS – i.e. media, computer ga-mes, mediation, pedagogic, didactic, mediation, etc. and preservation of intangible heritage)
ARCHITECTURE & ECOLOGICAL ARTS – i.e. landscape and city planning, cultivation and re-cultivation, preservation of soil monuments and historical monuments, etc. and support of cultural heritage)

Not all art disciplines will be included in the Delphic Games and Junior Delphic Games as part of competitions, presentations and exhibitions.The art disciplines will be selected by the IDC and the hosting National Delphic Council prior to the Games.

Delphic Members

Founding Members

The IDC was founded in 1994 in Berlin and is a charitable, non-governmental organisation (NGO). The founding members are representatives from 18 nations from 5 continents.

China, Germany, Ecuador, France, Ireland, Greece, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Libyia, Mexico, Nigeria, Austria, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, United States of America, Cyprus

Additional Members

Albania (1998), Armenia (1998), Azerbaijan (1998), Belarus (1996), Bulgaria (2003), India (2002), Georgia (1996), Japan (1997), Korea (2005), Malaysia (2004), Moldova (2000), South Africa (2001), Ukraine (2003), Venezuela (2003)

(Many scholars have suggested that it is crazy that Greece does not host the modern games in the ancient arena at Delphi every four years, as it is original founding member)

International Delphic Council - Executive Board / Amphiktyonie

International Delphic Ambassadors

Delphic Ambassador for Arts

International Meetings

Official Stamps

External links

* [http://delphic.de/index.php?id=87&L=0 III JUNIOR DELPHIC GAMES 2007 Baguio City, Philippines - November 10 to 15]
* [http://delphic.de/index.php?id=213&L=0 III JUNIOR DELPHIC GAMES 2007 Baguio City, Philippines - Participation Package]

* [http://www.delphic.org International Delphic Council]