EQUIFLASH [INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF ACTORS WORLD CONGRESS 2012]

[CAEA e-drive]

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INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF ACTORS WORLD CONGRESS 2012
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CANADIAN UNIONS WELCOME GLOBAL PERFORMERS TO INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF
ACTORS WORLD CONGRESS 

TORONTO - SEPTEMBER 27 TO 30, 2012

TORONTO, August 21, 2012 - Performers from more than 75 countries, from
Argentina to Zambia, will be descending on Toronto for a week of
solidarity-building at the 2012 International Federation of Actors (FIA)
World Congress. Running from September 27 to 30, 2012, the World
Congress will be co-hosted by the three Canadian performer unions, the
Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA),
Canadian Actors' Equity Association (Equity) and Union des Artistes
(UdA). This marks only the second time in FIA's 61-year history that a
Congress has met in North America. 

"Canadian performers are excited to host our peers from around the globe
as we build global solidarity, tackle our common challenges and share
our experiences as professional performers," said Raymond Legault,
President, UdA. 

"Changing technology and the increasing insecurity in the working
conditions of performers impact us no matter where we live. Congress
will be a time for us to plan, to learn from one another, and to
reinforce the strength of the worldwide performers' community," said
Ferne Downey, ACTRA National President.

FIA is an international non-governmental organization based in Brussels,
representing some 100 performers' unions in 75 countries. As the
governing body of FIA, the Congress meets every four years to develop
policies that support the fight for improved economic, artistic, social
and legal interests of professional performers - actors, broadcast
professionals, dancers, singers, variety and circus artists, and more. 

"Congress is a chance for artists associations from around the world to
share information, help each other develop best practices and support
each other as we fight for the rights of performers - from the basics of
pay and working conditions to more global issues like freedom of speech
and human rights," said Allan Teichman, President of Canadian Actors'
Equity Association.

The FIA 2012 Congress will include a celebration of the new Beijing
Treaty, concluded in June at the World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO) Diplomatic Conference. FIA was a driving force
behind the successful conclusion of the historic Audiovisual
Performances Treaty (AVPT) that enshrines moral and economic rights for
audio-visual performers into international law.

Media Contacts: 
Carol Taverner: ACTRA, Tel: 416.644-1519, ctaverner at actra.ca
Barbara Farwell: CAEA, Tel: 416-699-4722, barbara_farwell at rogers.com
Ariane Baillie-Gendron: UdA, Tel: 514.844.7150, ext 1146,
abaillie at uda.ca
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