World Circus Day celebrated on five continents

The importance of circus as a performing art and living cultural heritage has seen World Circus Day celebrated on five continents and over 50 countries.

Held each year on the third Saturday in April (Saturday 20th April this year), World Circus Day is an initiative of The Fédération Mondiale du Cirque marking a special day for circuses and circus fans around the world to join together to raise awareness of circus-related festival events and to celebrate Circus as part of our worldwide cultural heritage.

Federation Executive Director Laura van der Meer explains "circus is truly ubiquitous and is found in many forms throughout the world.

"World Circus Day was created to recognise and honour the important contributions that circuses have made to performing arts and culture. We are using an online map of the world to link these circus festivities into a worldwide celebration, but also to provide information to circus friends, enthusiasts and families to locate events in their countries."

The countries participating in World Circus Day events include those with a long tradition of Circus (China, Russia, Canada, France, Italy, Belgium, UK and the USA) as well as countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Colombia, India, Kenya, Latvia, Switzerland, Ukraine and Vietnam.

The Fédération Mondiale du Cirque was founded in 2008 under the patronage of H.S.H. Princess Stephanie of Monaco and is headquartered in Monte-Carlo.

The Federation is a non-profit organization created to promote Circus arts and culture worldwide, to serve as a voice for the Circus community, and to represent Circus interests at the international level.

For further information John Le Mare, Oceania Representative on 07 5474 4453, E: john@aladdins.com.au, www.circusfederation.org