[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 408 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 408

    Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Smithsonian Folklife 
                               Festival.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 26, 2017

   Mr. Sam Johnson of Texas (for himself, Ms. Matsui, and Mr. Cole) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                   on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Smithsonian Folklife 
                               Festival.

Whereas the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, founded on July 1, 1967, by the 
        Smithsonian Institution, is commemorating 50 years of cultural 
        exploration, exchange, and engagement on the National Mall of the United 
        States this year;
Whereas the purposes of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival are to collaborate 
        with individuals and communities throughout the United States and around 
        the world to present diverse, community-based traditions in an engaging, 
        accessible, and culturally appropriate way; to show the connections 
        between traditional and emerging practices, skills, and knowledge 
        through research, performance, demonstration, conversation, and 
        documentation; and to support the efforts of individuals and communities 
        working to promote the resilience, integrity, vitality, and 
        sustainability of their own cultural heritage;
Whereas the Smithsonian Folklife Festival continues to collaborate with the 
        American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress, Folk & Traditional 
        Arts Program of the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Park 
        Service, scholarly societies, and State and local arts agencies to 
        deepen and advance public curiosity and appreciation of rich folk and 
        traditional arts and practices as vital and integral to the social 
        fabric of families, communities, and nations;
Whereas the Smithsonian Folklife Festival has inspired similar cultural 
        exhibitions and festivals across the United States and around the world;
Whereas the Smithsonian Folklife Festival has generated educational curricula, 
        scholarly publications, documentary films, and new nongovernmental 
        organizations committed to the documentation and presentation of folk 
        and traditional arts;
Whereas the Smithsonian Folklife Festival continues to foster intercultural 
        dialogue, cross-generational learning, and cultural equity;
Whereas the Smithsonian Folklife Festival continues to celebrate the diversity 
        of artistic expression and the dignity, delight, and innovation found in 
        the creative process; and
Whereas the week of June 26, 2017, through June 30, 2017, is an appropriate week 
        to designate as ``Folk and Traditional Arts and Culture Week'' in honor 
        of the 50th anniversary of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes ``Folk and 
Traditional Arts and Culture Week'' in honor of the 50th anniversary of 
the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, to--
            (1) recognize practitioners of folk and traditional 
        culture, and the institutions and organizations that support 
        them;
            (2) explore the creativity found within their own families 
        and communities; and
            (3) congratulate the Smithsonian Folklife Festival for 50 
        years of outstanding efforts to champion creativity, cultural 
        diversity and sustainability, cross-generational engagement, 
        and intercultural communication through community-based 
        research, public presentation, and archival documentation 
        during the week.
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