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| Arrival In Sturovo, Slovakia | |||||
Most
contestants, delegates and visitors to the 2003 Coupe Mondiale arrived
in Budapest and either drove or took the train to Štúrovo,
Slovakia. About 1 1/2 hours from Budapest, the roads were well marked
for the arrival at the Hotel Thermal Headquarters of the 56th Coupe
Mondiale.
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| Music Committee Meeting | |||||
 The
first meeting of delegates was held by the CIA Music Committee. The Music
Committee is responsible of the musical aspects pertaining to the CIA
and the Competitions. Many tasks are worked on including competition programs,
future Test Pieces and arranging the jury panels. Members in attendance were: Chairman of the Music Committee - Frederic Deschamps, France Vice Chairperson - Joan C. Sommers, USA, Committee Members: John Leslie - United Kingdom, Harley Jones - Fiji, Viatchislav Semionov - Russia. (Absent: Max Bonnay - France and Jacques Mornet - France). Pictured left to right: Joan Sommers, Harley Jones, Ray Bodell (Secretary of the Music Committee) Viatchislav Semionov, John Leslie and Frederic Deschamps. | |||||
| 110th General Assembly of Delegates | |||||
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| Opening Ceremony Concert | |||||
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| Reception of Mayor of Sturovo | |||||
 After
the concert, CIA Executive Committee members, Music Committee members,
delegates and visitors were treated to a reception in the Town Hall by
the Mayor of Štúrovo - His Excellency Mr. Jan Oravec. Mr.
Oravec extended a warm welcome to the International delegation and offered
his sincerest hospitality during the running of the 56 Coupe Mondiale.
 The
CIA President provided an official welcome Toast to all the delegates
and guests which formally opened the reception buffet. Pictured right
are Jurgen Ganzer - Germany (composer) and Raimondas Sviackevicius from
Lithuania at the Mayor's reception.
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 Pictured
left are Coupe Mondiale organizer
Panna Grigoncza, President
of the Hungarian Accordion Association, CIA President - Kevin Friedrich
and Slovakian Organizer Tibor Racz, Artistic Director of the Methodical
Centre of Accordion "Marta Szokeová" (MCA) in Bratislava
during the Mayor's Reception.  Pictured
right are Maddalena Belfiore - USA (Past Vice President of the CIA - 15
years), immediate Past President of the American Accordionists Association
and current Festival director of the Accordionists and Teachers Guild,
International Faithe Deffner with the CIA General Secretary Mr. Walter
Maurer from Austria.
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The
110th General Assembly of Delegates took place at the CIA Headquarters,
the Hotel Thermal in Štúrovo, Slovakia.
Delegates
are: 
Vladislav
Kreysz - Hungary 
To
officially open the 56th Coupe Mondiale in Štúrovo,
Slovakia and Esztergom, Hungary the Ministry of Culture sponsored
an opening Ceremony Concert featuring the Bratislava Music School
Symphony Orchestra with accordion Soloist Michal Polak.
