The Carnival of Basel ( German : Basler Fasnacht ) is the biggest carnival in Switzerland and it is the main Protestant carnival in the world. Basler Fasnacht takes place annually between February and March in Basel . It has been listed as one of the top fifty local festivities in Europe .
82-620: Since 2017, the Carnival of Basel has been included in UNESCO 's intangible cultural heritage . The Basler Fasnacht starts on the Monday after Ash Wednesday at precisely 4:00 am with the so-called Morgestraich ( see below ). The carnival lasts for exactly 72 hours and, therefore, ends on Thursday morning at 4:00 am. During this time the Fasnächtler (the participants) dominate
164-741: A non-governmental organization in the service of international educational development since December 1925 and joined UNESCO in 1969, after having established a joint commission in 1952. After the signing of the Atlantic Charter and the Declaration of the United Nations , the Conference of Allied Ministers of Education (CAME) began meetings in London which continued from 16 November 1942 to 5 December 1945. On 30 October 1943,
246-477: A Commission to study the feasibility of having nations freely share cultural, educational and scientific achievements. This new body, the International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation (ICIC), was created in 1922 and counted such figures as Henri Bergson , Albert Einstein , Marie Curie , Robert A. Millikan , and Gonzague de Reynold among its members (being thus a small commission of
328-631: A Fasnacht been celebrated with more snow, and especially not fresh-fallen snow. This 50 cm of snow was the third-highest snow level ever recorded in Basel and the highest level of fresh-fallen snow within 24 hours for the city. In 2020 and 2021, the carnival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic . In 2022 the carnival took place again in a limited form. UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO ; pronounced / j uː ˈ n ɛ s k oʊ / )
410-482: A Preparatory Commission was established. The Preparatory Commission operated between 16 November 1945, and 4 November 1946 — the date when UNESCO's Constitution came into force with the deposit of the twentieth ratification by a member state. The first General Conference took place from 19 November to 10 December 1946, and elected Julian Huxley to Director-General. United States Army colonel, university president and civil rights advocate Blake R. Van Leer joined as
492-679: A United Nations Conference for the establishment of an educational and cultural organization (ECO/CONF) was convened in London from 1 to 16 November 1945 with 44 governments represented. The idea of UNESCO was largely developed by Rab Butler , the Minister of Education for the United Kingdom, who had a great deal of influence in its development. At the ECO/CONF, the Constitution of UNESCO was introduced and signed by 37 countries, and
574-663: A biennium, as well as links to relevant programmatic and financial documents. These two distinct sets of information are published on the IATI registry, respectively based on the IATI Activity Standard and the IATI Organization Standard. There have been proposals to establish two new UNESCO lists. The first proposed list will focus on movable cultural heritage such as artifacts, paintings, and biofacts. The list may include cultural objects, such as
656-835: A circle with their lanterns and chanting a particular musical composition. Popular compositions are the Wettsteinmarsch , the Tagwacht , the Retraite , the Basler Marsch and "le Lancier". During this chanting, the lanterns are gradually extinguished. On the Saturday after Fasnacht, there are many masked balls, which are together known as the Kehrausball (or Kehruss in the local dialect). Many Cliques have their own masked balls in their clique-cellars. On any one of
738-505: A confetti-throwing Waggis, especially if not wearing a Carnival badge ( see below ) known as a Blaggedde (which sounds similar to plaquette to French and English listeners). It is an unwritten law that masked and/or costumed participants are not subject to confetti attacks. By the evening, the routes of the Cortège are ankle-deep in confetti. Even so, Basel's sanitation department succeeds in clearing away this mess within two hours during
820-498: A declaration of anthropologists (among them was Claude Lévi-Strauss ) and other scientists in 1950 and concluding with the 1978 Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice . In 1955, the Republic of South Africa withdrew from UNESCO saying that some of the organization's publications amounted to "interference" in the country's "racial problems". It rejoined the organization in 1994 under the leadership of Nelson Mandela . One of
902-552: A full member. As a result, the United States withdrew its funding, which had accounted for about 22% of UNESCO's budget. Israel also reacted to Palestine's admittance to UNESCO by freezing Israeli payments to UNESCO and imposing sanctions on the Palestinian Authority , stating that Palestine's admittance would be detrimental "to potential peace talks". Two years after stopping payment of its dues to UNESCO,
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#1732775572706984-547: A global movement in 1990 to provide basic education for all children, youths and adults. In 2000, World Education Forum in Dakar , Senegal, led member governments to commit for achieving basic education for all in 2015. The World Declaration on Higher Education was adopted by UNESCO's World Conference on Higher Education on 9 October 1998, with the aim of setting global standards on the ideals and accessibility of higher education . UNESCO's early activities in culture included
1066-634: A member as well. The Constitution was amended in November 1954 when the General Conference resolved that members of the executive board would be representatives of the governments of the States of which they are nationals and would not, as before, act in their personal capacity. This change in governance distinguished UNESCO from its predecessor, the ICIC, in how member states would work together in
1148-997: A number of pieces for piccolo alone by such composers as Samuel Adler , Miguel del Aguila , Robert Dick , Michael Isaacson , David Loeb , Stephen Hough , Polly Moller , Vincent Persichetti , Karlheinz Stockhausen , and Brian Ferneyhough . Repertoire for piccolo and piano, many of which are sonatas , has been composed by Miguel del Águila , Robert Baksa , Robert Beaser , Rob du Bois , Howard J. Buss , Eugène Damaré [ fr ] , Pierre Max Dubois , Raymond Guiot , Lowell Liebermann , Peter Schickele , Michael Daugherty , and Gary Schocker . Concertos have been composed for piccolo, including those by Lowell Liebermann , Sir Peter Maxwell Davies , Todd Goodman, Martin Amlin, Will Gay Bottje , Bruce Broughton , Valentino Bucchi , Avner Dorman , Jean Doué, Michael Easton, Egil Hovland , Guus Janssen , Daniel Pinkham , Jeff Manookian and Levente Gyöngyösi . Additionally, there
1230-444: A platform for the dialogue between cultures and provide a forum for international debate". Since March 2006 it has been available free online, with limited printed issues. Its articles express the opinions of the authors which are not necessarily the opinions of UNESCO. There was a hiatus in publishing between 2012 and 2017. In 1950, UNESCO initiated the quarterly review Impact of Science on Society (also known as Impact ) to discuss
1312-508: A variety of hardwoods, most commonly grenadilla . Finely made piccolos are often available with a variety of options similar to the flute , such as the split-E mechanism. Most piccolos have a conical body with a cylindrical head, like the Baroque flute and later flutes before the popularization of the Boehm bore used in modern flutes. Unlike other woodwind instruments, in most wooden piccolos,
1394-560: Is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It has 194 member states and 12 associate members, as well as partners in the non-governmental , intergovernmental and private sector . Headquartered in Paris , France, UNESCO has 53 regional field offices and 199 national commissions. UNESCO
1476-401: Is a half-size flute and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. Sometimes referred to as a "baby flute" or piccolo flute , the modern piccolo has the same type of fingerings as the standard transverse flute , but the sound it produces is an octave higher. This has given rise to the name ottavino ( Italian pronunciation: [ottaˈviːno] ), by which the instrument
1558-499: Is another example of an early major UNESCO project in the field of natural sciences. In 1968, UNESCO organized the first intergovernmental conference aimed at reconciling the environment and development, a problem that continues to be addressed in the field of sustainable development . The main outcome of the 1968 conference was the creation of UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme . UNESCO has been credited with
1640-404: Is available in all possible colours, but never mixed. This was decided by the regional confetti manufacturers to prevent the once-common practice of reselling "used" confetti. Throwing mixed confetti is seen as very bad form, since one would have picked it up from the street, which is obviously an unhygienic practice. For spectators, there is the ever-present danger of being attacked from behind by
1722-592: Is called in Italian and thus also in scores of Italian composers. Piccolos are often orchestrated to double the violins or the flutes, adding sparkle and brilliance to the overall sound because of the aforementioned one-octave transposition upwards. The piccolo is a standard member in orchestras , marching bands , and wind ensembles . Since the Middle Ages, evidence indicates the use of octave transverse flutes as military instruments, as their penetrating sound
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#17327755727061804-454: Is corrupted and manipulated by Israel's enemies... we are not going to be a member of an organisation that deliberately acts against us". 2023 saw Russia excluded from the executive committee for the first time, after failing to get sufficient votes. The United States stated its intent to rejoin UNESCO in 2023, 5 years after leaving, and to pay its $ 600 million in back dues. The United States
1886-461: Is governed by the General Conference composed of member states and associate members, which meets biannually to set the agency's programs and budget. It also elects members of the executive board, which manages UNESCO's work, and appoints every four years a Director-General, who serves as UNESCO's chief administrator. UNESCO and its mandate for international cooperation can be traced back to a League of Nations resolution on 21 September 1921, to elect
1968-442: Is now a selection of chamber music that uses the piccolo. One example is Stockhausen's Zungenspitzentanz , for piccolo and two euphoniums (or one synthesizer), with an optional percussionist and dancer. Another is George Crumb 's Madrigals, Book II for soprano, flute (doubling piccolo/alto flute), and percussion. Other examples include a trio for piccolo, contrabassoon, and piano, 'Was mit den Tränen geschieht' by Stephen Hough ,
2050-540: Is that after the Reformation in 1520, Basel continued celebrating its Fasnacht, while the other regions officially stopped. It is said, that in order to differ from the Catholic customs, Fasnacht was scheduled one week later starting in 1529. There are no documents from this era supporting this theory, and the resolutions from 1529 were not quoted until 200 years later. Historians note that the Catholic carnival date
2132-418: Is the case of the concertos that Antonio Vivaldi wrote for flautino . Until the end of the 19th century, the piccolo maintained the same construction. Historically, the piccolo had the same keys of the baroque flute (one key) and then of the classical and romantic simple system flute. At the end of the century, the piccolo began to be built with the Boehm mechanism, which would become the standard during
2214-844: The Acropolis of Athens (Greece). The organization's work on heritage led to the adoption, in 1972, of the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. In 1976, the World Heritage Committee was established and the first sites were included on the World Heritage List in 1978. Since then important legal instruments on cultural heritage and diversity have been adopted by UNESCO member states in 2003 (Convention for
2296-643: The Alsatian farmers who, in the distant past, regularly rolled up to Basel markets to sell produce. Some trucks are on display on the Kasernenareal from Monday night to Wednesday morning. Similar to the Waage are the smaller carriages ( Chaise / Schäse ) with only 2–4 people giving away treats. Most of the people in the carriages, generally less rude than the Waggis, are dressed as old ladies and referred to as
2378-585: The Alti Tante (meaning "old aunt"), giving them a near-royal feeling. Many non-Clique individuals and small groups known as Schyssdräggziigli also wander through the streets. Like the Cliques, they play music with piccolos and drums. The Morgestraich (in Basel dialect, Morgenstreich in High German) on Monday morning marks the beginning of the Carnival in Basel. At exactly 4 am, all the lights in
2460-495: The Basel German dialect, confetti are called Räppli. According to some local historians, the throwing of confetti is a typical tradition from Basel that later spread to the rest of the world. While there is no proof for this theory, the amount of confetti used during Basler Fasnacht is huge in comparison to other carnivals. Originally, sweets in the form of small sugar balls known as confetti (an Italian name, similar to
2542-637: The Guggemusik groups, who take turns to play on purpose-built stages to large crowds. The main Guggekonzert at Marktplatz draws thousands of spectators and is broadcast live by Telebasel, the local TV channel. The traditional Cliques, which march while playing piccolos and Basler snare drums, retreat to the side streets. The Guggemusik groups march through the city centre, then stop to play four to five songs and then move on. Some Guggemusik groups are also invited to play in cafés and restaurants to serenade
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2624-781: The International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia , launched in 1960. The purpose of the campaign was to move the Great Temple of Abu Simbel to keep it from being swamped by the Nile after the construction of the Aswan Dam . During the 20-year campaign, 22 monuments and architectural complexes were relocated. This was the first and largest in a series of campaigns including Mohenjo-daro (Pakistan), Fes (Morocco), Kathmandu (Nepal), Borobudur (Indonesia) and
2706-1002: The Jōmon Venus of Japan, the Mona Lisa of France, the Gebel el-Arak Knife of Egypt , The Ninth Wave of Russia, the Seated Woman of Çatalhöyük of Turkey, the David (Michelangelo) of Italy, the Mathura Herakles of India, the Manunggul Jar of the Philippines, the Crown of Baekje of South Korea, The Hay Wain of the United Kingdom and the Benin Bronzes of Nigeria. The second proposed list will focus on
2788-428: The United Nations member states (except Israel and Liechtenstein ), as well as Cook Islands , Niue and Palestine . The United States and Israel left UNESCO on 31 December 2018, but the United States rejoined in 2023. As of June 2023 , there have been 11 Directors-General of UNESCO since its inception – nine men and two women. The 11 Directors-General of UNESCO have come from six regions within
2870-491: The "Morgestraich", with their instruments. No Guggenmusik is played during Morgestraich. From 4 am on Monday, many restaurants and bars in the old town open their doors and remain open for the following 72 hours. There, it is possible to sample traditional Basler carnival specialties, such as flour soup, Zwiebelkuchen and Käsewähe (a quiche -like baked dish). On Tuesday evening, the areas around Marktplatz, Barfüsserplatz and Claraplatz are devoted to Guggekonzerts by
2952-452: The 1900s. However, it cannot wholly transition to the Boehm system since the bore has remained conical, as in the old system flute, and the first bottom note is D, like in the baroque flute. The piccolo should not be confused with the fife , which is traditionally one-piece, has a smaller, cylindrical bore, and produces a more strident sound. It is a myth that one of the earliest pieces to use
3034-593: The Basel carnival has its roots in Celtic and Germanic customs, specifically in practices related to ancestor veneration, the expulsion of winter, and fertility rituals. The specific history of the Basler Fasnacht remains unknown as all the documents related to the carnival were destroyed in the catastrophic earthquake of 1356. The earliest surviving document relating to the Basel Carnival traces back to
3116-589: The Cortège on Monday, and are showcased on Tuesday night when they perform in Guggekoncerts in various locations. The Schnitzelbank singer is a bard that sings satirical verses about current events in Basel or from around the world. The verses are sung in Swiss German and the singer will show Helge (illustrations) to the current verse. Similar verses are also distributed by the various Cliques in flyers known as Zeedel . The singers appear regularly in
3198-540: The Cortège, the Cliques do not follow fixed routes, and it is thus very common for different Cliques to cross paths. In that case, one Clique will stop and let the other Clique pass. Spectators, on the other hand, will be politely guided off the route by the Vortrab . Marching brass bands playing Guggenmusik are another formation present during Carnival. Although the Guggemusik groups do not participate on Morgestreich, they march and play throughout Fasnacht, starting with
3280-838: The Directors-General of UNESCO since its establishment in 1946 is as follows: This is the list of the sessions of the UNESCO General Conference held since 1946: Ahmet Altay Cengizer Biennial elections are held, with 58 elected representatives holding office for four years. [REDACTED] Finland [REDACTED] Portugal [REDACTED] Turkey [REDACTED] Albania [REDACTED] Belarus [REDACTED] Bulgaria [REDACTED] Cuba [REDACTED] Grenada [REDACTED] Jamaica [REDACTED] Saint Lucia [REDACTED] Saint Vincent and
3362-530: The English confectionery ) were given away or thrown at the crowd during the parade. After this practice was prohibited in the 19th century, small shards of paper were used as a replacement. Until it was banned in the second half of the 20th century, it was also common to use straw instead of confetti, although wheat chaff is still sometimes thrown in some of the outlying towns and regions. Only single-coloured Räppli ( confetti) can be purchased in Basel. Räppli
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3444-852: The Fasnacht groups. It is requested, though not required, that visitors purchase a badge, so that the groups can continue to finance themselves. The saying goes: "He who doesn't have a badge harms the Fasnacht." In 2004, over 480 units were registered with the Fasnachts-Comité: 141 Cliques, organisations and groups, 141 floats and coaches, 61 Gugge music groups, 86 pipe and drums groups, and 55 individual masks and small groups. In total, there were more than 12,000 Fasnächtler who took part in organised groups. In addition, there were approximately 6,000 "wild" Fasnächtler ( Schyssdräggzygli ). A total of 185 parade lanterns were carried or pushed on mobile frames. Similar to many other carnival traditions,
3526-534: The Fasnacht topic, such as Fasnachts-Musicals or concerts with traditional Fasnacht instruments and crossovers with "classic" instruments. Most of these events also feature Schnitzelbanks or other satiric elements. Some of the so-called Vorfasnachtsveranstaltungen are: The lantern piping ( Ladärne yynepfyffe ) takes place on the Sunday evening before Fasnacht. The lanterns, most of them still wrapped up from delivery from their respective workshops, are brought to where
3608-1867: The Grenadines [REDACTED] Venezuela [REDACTED] Bangladesh [REDACTED] China [REDACTED] India [REDACTED] Indonesia [REDACTED] Japan [REDACTED] Philippines [REDACTED] Burundi [REDACTED] Equatorial Guinea [REDACTED] Ethiopia [REDACTED] Madagascar [REDACTED] Zambia [REDACTED] Zimbabwe [REDACTED] Egypt [REDACTED] Jordan [REDACTED] Morocco [REDACTED] France [REDACTED] Germany [REDACTED] Italy [REDACTED] Netherlands [REDACTED] Spain [REDACTED] Switzerland [REDACTED] Hungary [REDACTED] Poland [REDACTED] Russia [REDACTED] Serbia [REDACTED] Argentina [REDACTED] Brazil [REDACTED] Dominican Republic [REDACTED] Uruguay [REDACTED] Afghanistan [REDACTED] Kyrgyzstan [REDACTED] Philippines [REDACTED] Pakistan [REDACTED] South Korea [REDACTED] Thailand [REDACTED] Benin [REDACTED] Congo [REDACTED] Guinea [REDACTED] Ghana [REDACTED] Kenya [REDACTED] Namibia [REDACTED] Senegal [REDACTED] Togo [REDACTED] Saudi Arabia [REDACTED] UAE [REDACTED] Tunisia Piccolo The piccolo ( / ˈ p ɪ k ə l oʊ / PIH -kə-loh ; Italian for 'small')
3690-644: The League of Nations essentially centred on Western Europe ). The International Institute for Intellectual Cooperation (IIIC) was then created in Paris in September 1924, to act as the executing agency for the ICIC. However, the onset of World War II largely interrupted the work of these predecessor organizations. As for private initiatives, the International Bureau of Education (IBE) began to work as
3772-591: The Münsterplatz (the square in front of the Basel Münster ) and are lit in the evenings. The lantern exhibition is referred to as the largest open-air art exhibition of the world. There are a number of events that occur before and after Fasnacht. This is not a complete list, rather an overview of the larger or more significant events. Before Fasnacht starts, various events ( Vorfasnachtsveranstaltungen ) take place. Some of them are used for experiments with
3854-836: The Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage ) and 2005 ( Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions ). An intergovernmental meeting of UNESCO in Paris in December 1951 led to the creation of the European Council for Nuclear Research , which was responsible for establishing the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) later on, in 1954. Arid Zone programming, 1948–1966,
3936-431: The United States and Israel lost UNESCO voting rights in 2013 without losing the right to be elected; thus, the United States was elected as a member of the executive board for the period 2016–19. In 2019, Israel left UNESCO after 69 years of membership, with Israel's ambassador to the UN Danny Danon writing: "UNESCO is the body that continually rewrites history, including by erasing the Jewish connection to Jerusalem... it
4018-412: The commission, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Seán MacBride ). The same year, UNESCO created the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC), a multilateral forum designed to promote media development in developing countries. In 1993, UNESCO's General Conference endorsed the Windhoek Declaration on media independence and pluralism, which led the UN General Assembly to declare
4100-429: The date of its adoption, 3 May, as World Press Freedom Day . Since 1997, UNESCO has awarded the UNESCO / Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize every 3 May. UNESCO admitted Palestine as a member in 2011. Laws passed in the United States after Palestine applied for UNESCO and WHO membership in April 1989 mean that the United States cannot contribute financially to any UN organization that accepts Palestine as
4182-422: The diffusion of national science bureaucracies. In the field of communication, the "free flow of ideas by word and image" has been in UNESCO's constitution since it was established, following the experience of the Second World War when control of information was a factor in indoctrinating populations for aggression. In the years immediately following World War II, efforts were concentrated on reconstruction and on
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#17327755727064264-447: The early work of UNESCO in the education field was a pilot project on fundamental education in the Marbial Valley, Haiti, which was launched in 1947. Following this project one of expert missions to other countries, included a 1949 mission to Afghanistan. UNESCO recommended in 1948 that Member countries should make free primary education compulsory and universal. The World Conference on Education for All , in Jomtien , Thailand, started
4346-426: The figure of the Alti Dante (old dame), an upper-class elderly woman. The parades taking place on Monday and Wednesday afternoon are called Cortège and follow two defined ring routes: the inner ring runs clockwise, and the outer ring runs counterclockwise. The two routes are sometimes referred to as the blue and the red route because of their colour representation on the route map. The Fasnächtler who participate in
4428-489: The guests. The Children and Family Fasnacht is on Tuesday. On this day, there are many parades through the city, but, this time, it is not the Cliques that take part, rather families with their children. If the people come from different Cliques, it is common to see groups with mixed costumes and masks. It is not expected that the children, especially the youngest, will wear the heavy traditional masks. All lanterns are on display from Monday evening until Wednesday morning on
4510-409: The head-mounted Kopflaterne (head lanterns) that every participant wears. Some Cliques have uniform Kopflaternen but traditionally during the Morgestraich, Clique members do not wear uniform costumes. This varied dressing is called "Charivari". On the command "Morgestraich, vorwärts marsch!" ("Morgestraich, forward march!") from the drum majors, all Cliques begin to march and play the same march,
4592-434: The higher echelons of society. The second, one week later at the old time, was known as the Bauernfasnacht (farmers' carnival). Afterwards, only this second carnival was celebrated in Basel. Today, the Carnival of Basel is said to be "the only Protestant carnival in the world". In 2017 the UNESCO added the Carnival of Basel to the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. In 2002, the Industrielle Werke Basel ( IWB ) turned
4674-411: The identification of needs for means of mass communication around the world. UNESCO started organizing training and education for journalists in the 1950s. In response to calls for a " New World Information and Communication Order " in the late 1970s, UNESCO established the International Commission for the Study of Communication Problems, which produced the 1980 MacBride report (named after the chair of
4756-529: The influence of science on society. The journal ceased publication in 1992. UNESCO also published Museum International Quarterly from the year 1948. UNESCO has official relations with 322 international non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Most of these are what UNESCO calls "operational"; a select few are "formal". The highest form of affiliation to UNESCO is "formal associate", and the 22 NGOs with formal associate (ASC) relations occupying offices at UNESCO are: The institutes are specialized departments of
4838-410: The inner city, particularly along the major street in the city, Freie Strasse . Since 1901, the organisation of Fasnacht has been arranged by the Fasnachts-Comité , which acts as the official contact for all questions and concerns about Fasnacht. The Comité also distributes Fasnacht badges ( Blaggedde ). These are sold in four versions and cost between 9 and 100 Swiss francs , and the proceeds go to
4920-472: The mask, other than during official breaks from the parade. Members of the various Cliques wear costumes that fit a specific theme, except during Morgestreich and on Fasnacht Tuesday. Costumes and masks commonly represent famous people including politicians, or even comic characters or animals. More traditional masks recall Napoleonic soldiers, harlequins ( Harlekin ), the famous Waggis (buffoons portraying an exaggerated caricature of Alsatian peasants), and
5002-436: The necessity for an international organization was expressed in the Moscow Declaration, agreed upon by China , the United Kingdom, the United States and the USSR. This was followed by the Dumbarton Oaks Conference proposals of 9 October 1944. Upon the proposal of CAME and in accordance with the recommendations of the United Nations Conference on International Organization (UNCIO), held in San Francisco from April to June 1945,
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#17327755727065084-435: The night, so, by the following morning, there is little evidence of the previous day's events. At the Basel Carnival there are five major groups of participants. One of the oldest formations are the Cliques, who march through the old town playing the piccolo and basler drum . A Clique usually consists of a Vortrab (vanguard), the Pfeifer (pipers), the Tambourmajor (drum major) and the Tambouren (drummers). Except on
5166-556: The octave as early as 1735 as existing scores by Jean-Philippe Rameau show. Piccolos are now mainly manufactured in the key of C. In the early 20th century, piccolos were manufactured in D ♭ as they were an earlier model of the modern piccolo. For this D ♭ piccolo, John Philip Sousa wrote the famous solo in the final repeat of the closing section (trio) of his march " The Stars and Stripes Forever ". Although once made of wood, glass, or ivory, piccolos today are made from plastic, resin, brass, nickel silver, silver, and
5248-407: The old town of Basel are turned off, and the Industrielle Werke Basel (the Industrial Works of Basel are the public utility organisation of the city) shuts down the streetlights. The only light remaining comes from the lanterns of the Cliques. There are two major types of lanterns, the large Zugslaterne (parade lanterns) that are wheel-mounted or carried by 2 to 4 people in front of the Cliques; and
5330-422: The old town of central Basel, running free in the streets and restaurants. Basler Fasnacht is often referred to as die drey scheenschte Dääg ("the three most beautiful days"). Unlike the Carnival celebrations held in other cities on the Rhine (such as those in Cologne , Mainz and Düsseldorf ), the Basel Carnival features a clear and well-maintained separation between participants and the spectators who line
5412-582: The organization that support UNESCO's programme, providing specialized support for cluster and national offices. UNESCO awards 26 prizes in education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture, communication and information as well as peace: International Days observed at UNESCO are provided in the table below: As of July 2023 , UNESCO has 194 member states and 12 associate members. Some members are not independent states and some members have additional National Organizing Committees from some of their dependent territories . UNESCO state parties are
5494-445: The organization's fields of competence. As member states worked together over time to realize UNESCO's mandate, political and historical factors have shaped the organization's operations in particular during the Cold War , the decolonization process, and the dissolution of the Soviet Union . Among the major achievements of the organization is its work against racism, for example through influential statements on race starting with
5576-401: The organization: West Europe (5), Central America (1), North America (2), West Africa (1), East Asia (1), and East Europe (1). To date, there has been no elected Director-General from the remaining ten regions within UNESCO: Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central and North Asia, Middle East, North Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, South Africa, Australia-Oceania, and South America. The list of
5658-427: The parade begins in the city centre. Their arrival is accompanied by the pipers (still without costumes or masks), while the drummers leave their drums at home. The lantern farewell ( Ladärne Verabschiide ) is performed by the Cliques on the final evening of the Fasnacht, normally starting at 4:00 am on Thursday but sometimes earlier. Each Clique has a specific ritual for the farewell, most of which involve forming
5740-464: The parade generally toss confetti into the crowds, and hand out candy and other treats to the spectators. Most of the groups choose a Sujet ( French : theme ) for the Fasnacht. These Sujets are usually related to recent events and are highly satirical. These Sujets can be seen on lanterns during Morgenstreich and in the costumes worn by Clique members during the Cortège. Most Cliques also distribute Zeedel (flyers containing ironic verse). In
5822-442: The piccolo was Ludwig van Beethoven 's Symphony No. 5 in C Minor , which premiered in December 1808 . Although neither Joseph Haydn nor Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart used it in their symphonies, some of their contemporaries did, including Franz Anton Hoffmeister , Franz Xaver Süssmayr , and Michael Haydn . Also, Mozart used the piccolo in his opera Idomeneo . Opera orchestras in Paris sometimes included small transverse flutes at
5904-435: The restaurants and bars on Monday and Wednesday night and in the clique-cellars (local Clique meeting halls) on Tuesday. During the Cortège, there are many trucks or tractors with decorated trailers. In these large trailers ( Waage ) are usually Waggis throwing oranges, sweets, flowers or other treats to (or at) the crowd. The Waggis also shower bystanders with copious amounts of confetti. The Waggis are an affectionate spoof on
5986-426: The streetlights off too early, at 3:59 am. Nonetheless, Fasnacht went on until Thursday at 4:00 am. Therefore, the 2002 Fasnacht lasted one minute longer than usual. During the night before Morgestraich 2006, about 50 cm of snow fell within only a couple of hours and blocked the inner city of Basel. It took great effort to free the city from the snow and enable the Fasnacht to take place. Never before has
6068-446: The streets. In addition, since the 19th century, the Basler Fasnacht event has provided satirical commentary on current local and global events. The approximately 18,000 active Fasnächtler dress up in a wide variety of costumes , including a mask known as a Larve . Participants are fully concealed and must remain incognito while parading; it is considered inappropriate and a breach of protocol to identify oneself by removing
6150-679: The tenon joint that connects the head to the body has two interference fit points surrounding the cork and metal side of the piccolo body joint. The piccolo is used alongside marching drums in traditional formations at the Carnival of Basel , Switzerland. In 2014, a festival was born entirely dedicated to the piccolo, the International Piccolo Festival , which takes place annually in July in Grado , Italy . There are
6232-562: The three Sundays directly following the Fasnacht (known as the Bummelsonntage , or "stroll Sundays"), all Cliques and Guggenmusik groups participate in the final act of the Fasnacht. During their chosen day (1st, 2nd, or 3rd Bummelsonntag , depending on the group), the groups go on a small trip somewhere outside of Basel, usually including a visit to a restaurant. Later in the evening, the groups return to Basel in normal street clothes (no costumes or masks) and parade one last time through
6314-515: The world's living species, such as the komodo dragon of Indonesia, the panda of China, the bald eagle of North American countries, the aye-aye of Madagascar, the Asiatic lion of India, the kākāpō of New Zealand, and the mountain tapir of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. UNESCO and its specialized institutions issue a number of magazines. Created in 1945, The UNESCO Courier magazine states its mission to "promote UNESCO's ideals, maintain
6396-526: The year 1376. During the Reformation period, some celebrations were restricted, and at times even banned. In response, the Basel carnival gradually transformed into a form of resistance against authoritative repression. Additionally, the parade themes shifted towards political topics, adopting a distinctively satirical nature. It remains unclear why Carnival starts one week later in Basel than elsewhere in Switzerland or Germany. The common explanation
6478-513: Was audible above battles. In cultured music, however, the first piccolos were used in some of Jean Philippe Rameau 's works in the first half of the 18th century. Still, the instrument began to spread, and therefore to have a stable place in the orchestra, only at the beginning of 1800 A.D. During the Baroque period, the indication "flautino" or also "flauto piccolo" usually denoted a recorder of small size (soprano or sopranino). In particular, this
6560-900: Was founded in 1945 as the successor to the League of Nations ' International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation . UNESCO's founding mission, which was shaped by the events of World War II , is to advance peace , sustainable development and human rights by facilitating collaboration and dialogue among nations. It pursues this objective through five major programme areas: education, natural sciences , social / human sciences , culture and communication/information. UNESCO sponsors projects that improve literacy , provide technical training and education, advance science, protect independent media and press freedom , preserve regional and cultural history , and promote cultural diversity . The organization prominently helps establish and secure World Heritage Sites of cultural and natural importance. UNESCO
6642-594: Was readmitted by the UNESCO General Conference that July. UNESCO implements its activities through five programme areas: education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture, and communication and information. UNESCO does not accredit institutions of higher learning. The UNESCO transparency portal has been designed to enable public access to information regarding the Organization's activities, such as its aggregate budget for
6724-579: Was rescheduled six days earlier in 1091 in the Council of Benevent, because the Sundays were excluded from the 40-day fasting period before Easter , making Ash Wednesday the first day of Lent . From then until the 16th century, the two carnival dates existed. The first one, ending on Ash Wednesday, was known as the Herren- or Pfaffenfasnacht (lords' or priests' carnival) and was observed by those members of
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