DELEGATES 2024
Willi Klopottek
LUXEMBURG | Music and radio journalist
Worked for 35 years as a teacher for social sciences and politics at a high school in Germany, but has been a music lover and bassist/guitarist in amateur bands since his youth too. In 1997 he discovered World Music after attending a concert of a band from Madagascar; soon with the result of being interested in all styles of local music from around the globe. Retired as a teacher 10 years ago, he moved to Luxembourg and there he started his World Music radio show Mondophon on independent community Radio ARA. He is writing regularly about World Music for Luxembourgish weekly newspaper WOXX and the German magazines Folker and Folk Galore.
Christian Pliefke
GERMANY | Founder of Nordic Notes label and Folk Galore Magazin
Since 1992 active as co-operator of various labels. In 2005 he founded his own label NORDIC NOTES (Eläkeläiset, Okra Playground, …), other labels (CPL-Music, Beste! Unterhaltung) and a music publishing company. The focus at Nordic Notes is on world, folk and singer songwriter from Northern Europe. CPL-Music stands for folk and world music, focus on the Baltic States, Eastern Europe, Eurasia (Divanhana, Dobranotch, Alice in WonderBand, SOLE …) Christian is founder, editor and publisher of Magazin Folk Galore since 2020.
Anna Mašátová
CZECH REPUBLIC | Music manager and journalist
Anna is a music publicist, arts manager and art historian. She is deputy editor-in-chief of the cultural magazine Uni, her articles can also be found in Harmonie, Full Moon Magazine and other periodicals.
She has worked as Head of communications at the Rock for People festival, and was the director of the Nouvelle Prague music conference and showcase festival. She created Jazz Guide Czech Republic and World Music Guide Czech Republic. She led workshops, mentoring sessions, and spoke on panels at WOMEX, Ment Ljubljana, Nouvelle Prague, Czech Music Crossroads, MusicMatch, World Music Festival Bratislava, Meltingpot Forum, Kytary.cz, and other events.
She served on the grant committee of the Czech Ministry of Culture for Alternative Music and on the dramaturgical board of the SoundCzech music export agency. She cooperates with New York University in Prague. Since 2022, she has been an assistant professor at the Department of Music Production at Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno. Since 2023, she has been the editor of the ArtCafé show of Czech Radio Vltava.
Mario Gulisano
ITALY, SICILY | Producer, composer, lyricist, musican, festival organiser
Mario began his musical career in the eighties with the creation of the independent record label Edith Music, which soon achieved international fame in the underground record market. He has produced over 30 albums and various recordings. In 1998 he discovered his interest in popular traditions and founded the Associazione Culturale Darshan, of which he is president. Through this non-profit organisation he began an intense activity of promotion of Sicilian culture at national and international level. With the group Nakaira, of which he has been a member since 2000, and later with Oi Dipnoi and Quartetto Aresud, Mario Gulisano is involved in a specific research into the traditions of Mediterranean culture, which has led him to perform live with success at major international folk and world music festivals throughout Italy, as well as in Austria, Germany, Denmark, Norway, England, Spain, France, Portugal, Hungary, Latvia, Tunisia, Cape Verde, Yemen and Australia. Since 1998, through the Associazione Culturale Darshan, he has conceived and produced numerous festivals of ethnic, world and folk music, aimed at rediscovering Sicilian traditions linked to European cultural roots. These include Classica & Dintorni (since 2003), Tarantafest (from 2004 to 2015), Alkantara fest (since 2004), Meltin’folk (since 2004), Cantica (from 2001 to 2005), Sete Sois Sete Luas (2006), Anthology of Sicilian Music, Live (2006), Zampognarea (since 2009), Musicamilo (from 2005 to 2015), La Polis delle Arti (2022/2023). Cooperation projects Since 2016 he has been the coordinator of Ethno Sicily, a programme promoted by JMI Bruxelles and developed for young non-professional folk musicians from all over the world, with around 25 participants each year. For the last six years he has been coordinator and producer of three European music projects co-funded by the Creative Europe: Nufolk Global Connections (2019/2020), Common Routes (2021/2024), Music in the Circle (2022/2024).
Bojan Djordjević
SERBIA | music and radio journalist, festival organiser
Bojan started to write about music for Student and Youth magazines in 1987. Since then he has been collaborating and writing for music magazines in Serbia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Italy and UK. Started the first ever radio show about experimental and alternative music in Serbia, on independent Radio B92 in 1990. This weekly show, under the name «Disco 3000» (now world music), has been broadcasted ever since. but now on Radio Belgrade 3.. Bojan is long time member of World Music Charts Europe panel of 45 radio DJs. Also a member of the panel Balkan World Music Chart. Bojan compiled bestseller compilations „Srbija: Sounds Global“ and „Rromano Suno“ for Radio B92s music label. Founder and art director of International New Music Festival «Ring Ring» since 1996. Festival includes avant-garde, contemporary, art rock, alternative, free jazz, experimental, electroacoustic and world music. Bojan is also founder and artistic director of two world music festivals – “Todo Mundo” in Belgrade (since 2012) and “Pocket Globe” in Novi Sad (since 2022). Music program selector of Belgrade Summer festival „BELEF“ in 2003, 2004, 2012. and 2013. Bojan Djordjevic was and still is acting as manager for some artists from the Balkans, like Divanhana, Dzambo Agusevi Orchestra. Organised „Swiss Balkan Creative music Workshop“ and “Swiss Music Days” festival in 7 countries of the Balkans. In 2014 he organized festival „Zajedno Zusammen“ in Belgrade, where Austrian and artists from Serbia meet and performed together. Founder of the Association Ring Ring. The Association has been part of European projects “Phonart – Lost Languages of Europe” (2010-2012), EUTERPE (2014-2015) and Sounds of Europe (2022-2025)
Marija Vitas
SERBIA | Ethnomusicologist, music critic, journalist, researcher, magazine and portal editor, festival co-organizer and co-selector
Maria graduated from the Faculty of Music in Belgrade (2006). In 2007, she started working in the media. From 2008 to 2019, she worked at Radio Belgrade 2: 1) CD reviews and reports on world music/classical/pop/rock/jazz concerts and festivals in Serbia, and abroad, 2) hosting the show “Od zlata jabuka” focused on Serbian and Balkan music and cultural heritage, 3) playlists in different talk shows. Marija has been writing articles for the Serbian world music magazine “Etnoumlje” since 2008. She soon became the deputy editor, and from the end of 2012 – the editor-in-chief. Since 2018, she has been editing the portal of the World Music Association of Serbia, within which there is also an online version of the “Etnoumlje” magazine. She collaborated with Radio BBC 3 and Canadian Radio CBC and writes for the Italian “Blogfoolk” portal and German “Folk Galore” magazine. Her texts have been published in “Vreme”, “Novi magazin”, “Politika”, “Nedeljnik” and on numerous portals (“BeforeAfter”, “Opanak”…) She is a member of the “Transglobal World Music Charts” panel and the founder and administrator of the “Balkan World Music Chart” panel.
As a member of the World Music Association of Serbia, Marija led several field research projects to date, which were immortalized on CD releases that Marija is editor of: “Pesma izvika”. “Vojvođanski gajdaši”, “Svirka i pesma 5 gajdaša”, “Gusle: Epic Tradition of Serbia”, “Izvika Singing in the Beauty of Female Voices”, etc. Marija often writes liner notes for albums by different artists, and prepares promotional texts and EPKs for bands.
She was involved in the international project EU.T.ER.PE (2014 – 2016), as an art director in the team of the Serbian partner (“Ring Ring” Association). She is also included in the current European project ‘’Sounds of Europe’’. Since 2019, she is the President of the “Ring Ring” Association and a member of the team of the “Todo Mundo” and ‘’Pocket Globe’’ world music festivals. She also cooperates with the “Gergina” Association from Negotin, actively participating in various projects – “Gergina” Vlach music festival, CD and book releases (The Magic of Vlach Music/2021, Vlaške pesme/2021, Etno grupa Gergina/2022, etc.) – related to the tradition of Vlach minority in Serbia.
Marija is often a jury member at various folk music festivals and competitions in Serbia. She is a member of the international jury, which chooses the best world music album in Slovakia (2019/2020/2021/2022). She was a member of the Hungarian Heritage House’s jury that selected Hungarian musicians in 2019 for promotion abroad. She participated as a delegate, speaker or journalist at many music conferences and world music festivals so far: Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Finland, etc. She is the author of the book “The Musical Heritage of Vranje” (2020) released with UNESCO’s support. “Muzika Klasika” magazine chose her as the “Best Music Critic” in Serbia in 2019. Marija is a member, communication manager and editor of ‘’Music Information Centre of Serbia’’ internet portal.
Fabio Scopino
ITALY | Italian World Beat CEO, Founder and General Manager
For over 25 years, he has gained experience in entertainment development and cultural promotion covering roles such as Music Clubs Founder, Art Director, Event Manager, Artist Manager, Booking Agent. Currently he’s engaged in the management and development of an Italian professionals network to represent and promote abroad artists, festivals, fairs, agencies, cultural associations and promoters, operating through active partecipation in the major music fairs worldwide and all occasions of meeting and exchanges related to the global music market. Italian World Beat is among the founding members of the global project “MusiConnect”, since 2021 Italian World Beat has been the organizer of a showcase and conferences festival named MusiConnect Italy.
Imed Alibi
TUNISKO | Musician and composer
Imed Alibi is a Tunisian musician and composer. Throughout his career, Imed’s experience spans from music performance and composition to artistic direction, cultural management, and project consultancy. He worked as the Artistic Director of International Festival of Carthage (2020/2021) and Carthage Music Days in 2019, and for Sousse International Percussion Festival for 3 years. He has collaborated as a jury member of Visa for Music in Morocco, Babel Music XP in Marseille, Institut Francais and Music in Africa. As an artistic advisor, he has worked with Le Silo in South of France for 5 years, and recently with Candid Foundation in Germany on the Alhan Libya project. As a subject matter expert, he works for the UNESCO program in Morocco Music and Sustainable Development. In addition, he has been chosen to be the subject matter expert for the future European capitals of culture.He is currently head of music department at the atelier des artistes en exil in Paris.
Salla Ahvenjärvi
FINLAND | director of Haapavesi Folk Music festival
Executive Director of Haapavesi Folk Music Festival. The festival is located in Northern Finland, it was founded in 1989 and is part of European Capital of Culture: Oulu2026 –programme. I’m looking for collaborations for our 2026 festival programme.
Marina Pommier
HUNGARY | Manager and festival programmer
Involved in the World Music scene since 1994, Marina Pommier is programming and booking various projects and groups around the world. Convinced European, she has lived in France, Germany, Belgium and Hungary. She started her carrier as tour manager and production manager for « The Gipsies of Rajasthan » and the festival « the beautifull Nights of Ramandan » in Brussels and became the manager of hungarian Gipsy Band Romano Drom for 11 years, later of South slavic group Söndörgö for 7 years, and is now envolved with Polish Band Volosi.
From 2001 she started to collaborate with Sziget Agency with whom she organised 3 Hungarian cultural seasons, in France, Italy and the Netherlands. She programs on Sziget festival since 2002 on the Gipsy stage first for 12 years and then Roma and Balkan program of the World Music Stage, and since 2019 started a new stage replacing World Music Stage called « Global Village » with a different approach to music and cultures of the world. At the same time she’s also booking the 2 free World Music stages of the Vidor Festival in Nyiregyháza since 2005. Since 2017 she is intensly developping Traditionnal and World Music concert series in rural villages in South West of France within the association « Le Monde dans mon Vilage » (The world in my Village)
Milan Tesař
CZECH REPUBLIC | music and radio journalist, festival programmer of Maraton hudby Brno
Head of popular music editorial office since 1995. Author/moderator of the music programs Slyšte, lidé!, Jak se vám líbí, hitparáda Kolem se toč. Author of the scripts of the programs Třikrát z Proglasu, Noční, Hudební listování, Synkopy na kanapi. Music dramaturg (selection of songs for the all-day broadcast and, after consultation with specific editors, also for their programs). Administrator and builder of the music archive of Proglas (except folklore, brass and classical music). Administrator and author of a large part of articles on the Proglas music website. From 2021, he also takes care of the new website www.hudebnirozhovory.cz. Member of the international jury of the World Music Charts Europe ranking, since December 2020 secretary of this panel of European radio music columnists.
Božena Szota
POLAND | Director of Ethnoport festival
Coordinator and producer of the Ethno Port Festival program since its first edition in 2008 and now festiwal director. Specialist in the organization of cultural events, since 2004 she has been involved in the organization and production of festivals, theater performances and concerts of different music genres at ZAMEK Culture Center in Poznan, one of the biggest culture institutions in Poland. Music & Performing Arts Department Manageress in Zamek since 2021. She organized hundreds of events including concerts series like Music and Theater in Castle Courtyards and JazZamek since 2016 and now on.
Petr Dorůžka
CZECH REPUBLIC | columnist, journalist and music editor
Petr is music editor of Radio Vltava in Czech Radio. He writes about world music in Czech and foreign media, he lectured on world music cultures at the Faculty of Humanities at the Charles University. Since 1992, he has been the only Czech member of the World Music Charts Europe radio panel. In 2017, he received the WOMEX 17 Award for Professional Excellence for his lifelong work.
Dušan Svíba
CZECH REPUBLIC | Booking agent, manager, director of festival Colour Meeting
Dušan is booking agent at Earth Music. The agency’s roster includes artists like Dubioza kolektiv, Cash Savage & The Last Drinks, Džambo Aguševi Orkestar, Tim Eriksen, Omer Klein, Invisible World, Dans Dans, Terne Čhave and more. Founder and artistic director of Colour Meeting festival (since 2001) in Polička and promoter of the Prague’s concert series Earth Music Concerts. He is also a member of the advisory board of SoundCzech, the grant commitee of Ministry of Culture CR and one of founding members of Music Managers Forum CR and Česká Obec Hudební, the umbrella association of the Czech music industry.
Anton Vanderhasselt
BELGIUM | BOZAR | Music programmer
Anton Vanderhasselt is a Music Programmer at BOZAR, the Center of Fine Arts in Brussels. He is mainly responsible for programming global and electronic music and came from a production background. In his free time Anton works for other Belgian festivals (Horst, Couleur Café, etc), his own start up focused on making festivals accessible for people with lesser means, and plays in a band with his best friend.
Matyáš Hradil
CZECH REPUBLIC | producer, Czech Music Crossroads festival
Matyas is currently a student of Palacký University Olomouc, head of the production of Czech Music Crossroads, and a member of the production team of Festival in the Streets ART&LIFE and Colours of Ostrava. Czech Music Crossroads offers a music platform attended by the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia. Carefully selected bands focusing on local roots, acoustic music, folk, fusion, and jazz music are presented to an international audience of invited professionals, promoters, and journalists. Besides the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia, each year, Czech Music Crossroads welcomes and presents artists from different guest countries. Historically, bands from Hungary, Austria, Serbia, France, South Korea, Slovenia, and Spain have been introduced. In 2024, the event’s partnering countries were the UK and Italy. Besides concerts, the event also offers a conference part based on networking and speed meetings, with the participation of foreign-based professionals and delegates. More information can be found on the event’s website www.crossroadsmusic.cz.
