The Sveriges Dragspelares Riksförbund (SDR) (Swedish Accordionists Association) hosted for the first time, the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) Winter Congress. Held in Kungsbacka, Sweden from February 23rd to 25th, 2024, Kungsbacka is located on the west coast in the southern part of Sweden, 20 kilometers south of Gothenburg.
The 151st General Assembly took part at Hotel Halland with thirty seven CIA officers and delegates from 17 countries being present to take part in a very full schedule of meetings, concerts and social gatherings.
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1. CIA Executive attending the Winter Congress. Left to right: Kimmo Mattila, Mirco Patarini, Jörgen Sundeqvist, Li Cong, Zorica Karakutovska.
2. Signing of Coupe Mondiale Hosting Contract by Mayor of Castelfidardo, Roberto Ascani and IAC Vice President Gianluca Bibiani.
3. Federico Celesti, IAC President being approved as CIA Honorary Vice-President for 2024.
4. Congress Delegates meeting, Danijela Gazdic-Kljajic addressing the meeting.
The Mayor of Castelfidardo, Roberto Ascani, was present in Kungsbacka to sign the contract which was also approved by the CIA Congress, for the hosting of the 77th Coupe Mondiale which will be held in Castelfidardo, Italy, from September 6th to 10th, 2024. For the first time in history, the CIA will have the Coupe Mondiale in Castelfidardo, the City of the accordion producers.
The 79th Coupe Mondiale in Stockholm, Sweden, August 2026, was also approved by the Congress.
Many other matters were discussed and one important subject was the review of the CIA Statutes to comply with recent EU requirements.
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5. Beautiful celebration cake.
6. Sven and Lars Karlsson.
7. Grayson Masefield addressing Congress.
8. At Karlssons Music, left to right: Georg Hettmann, Grayson Masefield, Djordje Perić, Crystal Wang, Slaviša Perić.
On Friday evening, Karlssons Musik hosted an evening at their shop with dinner, social gathering and entertainment by Hanna Blomberg (violin) and Petter Ferneman (accordion).
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9. Lars Karlsson Band.
10. Leo Florin
11. Malmö Accordion Quartet.
12. Minna Weurlander and Deseo String Quartet.
The Swedish Accordionists Association (SDR) hosted a concert at Kungsbacka Theatre on Saturday evening, with performances by several leading Swedish accordionists such as Minna Weurlander and Deseo String Quartet, Malmö Accordion Quartet, Leo Florin and the Lars Karlsson Band. Djordje Peric (Bosnia and Herzegovina) also appeared as a surprise guest artist.
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13. Djordje Peric (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
14. Artister with flowers.
15. Jörgen Sundeqvist, Mirco Patarini, Päivi Sundeqvist, Kimmo Mattila, Dragspelsarkivet in Kramfors was also awarded the CIA "World Accordion Museum Alliance International Member".
16. Karlssons Musik. (left ) Andreas Ågren, Daniel Bengtsson, Sven Karlsson, Lars Karlsson, Emelie Olsen.
During the concert, Ingvar Karlsson, the founder of Karlssons Musik, was awarded the CIA "Honored Friend of the Accordion Award" for his outstanding contributions to the international accordion movement. Picture of presentation below.
Dragspelsarkivet in Kramfors was also awarded the CIA "World Accordion Museum Alliance International Member".
Next year, the CIA Winter Congress will be hosted in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, from February 28th to March 2nd, 2025. However, before that we are looking forward to the 77th Coupe Mondiale in Castelfidardo, Italy in September.
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17. Entertainment by Hanna Blomberg (violin) and Petter Ferneman (accordion).
18. Päivi Sundeqvist, Ingvar och Siv Karlsson, Mirco Patarini, Kimmo Mattila, Jörgen Sundeqvist.
19. Kimmo Mattila, Mirco Patarini, Ingvar Karlsson, Roberto Ascani, Lars Karlsson, Mayor of Kungsbacka Fredrik Hansson.
20. Kungsbacka Theatre
Saturday - 24th February 2024
