The WFAO 2009 general assembly was held in Antwerp from May 1 to three. Representatives of 16 countries attended the meeting. (Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, U.K., U.S.A, Venezuela) 32 representatives of several amateur orchestras in the world attended the meeting.　WFAO started in 1991 as a World Youth Orchestra Counsel and with the help of the Toyota Youth Orchestra Camp, it focused on international exchange programs with several countries. From 1998 on, WFAO included adult orchestra in its activities and in 2007, NPO WFAO was created as the financial branch that would allow WFAO to become financially independent. At present, the Federation includes members of 26 countries, 1200 orchestras and 80,000 individual members.

　The meeting included the presentation of fundamental concepts related to the activities of Amateur Orchestras as well as open deliberation and questions to the expositors. The deliberations cantered on the following themes.

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  President Morishita and chairmen

1 Outline of the general aspects of amateur orchestras activities and the music they perform.

2 The evolution and growth and the processes involved in orchestral activities.

3 Exploration of ways to support the newly created Iraq Youth Orchestra.

4 The voluntary cooperation to support the South African Children’s orchestral activities through the donation of instruments.

5 WFAO’s participation in the 2010 Shanghai World Fair.

6 Specific problems facing orchestral activities in the participating countries today.

Visit to the Neerpelt European Youth Orchestra Festival
Concert at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Antwerp.
Invitation to a concert by the Antwerp Youth Orchestra
Official welcome reception at the Antwerp town hall.

The following changes have occurred in the organization itself.
Mr. Nobuo Kamino become Honorary President, Mr. Motoyasu Morishita becomes president, Mr. Richard Chester become chairperson. Other positions will be announced at a later time.

The remarkable success of this meeting is due to the presence of numerous new representatives, of the possibility of everyone to express his opinions, of the ample deliberation time to allow questions to be answered and of a remarkable spirit of cooperation and togetherness, not to mention the generous efforts and organizational capacity of Mr. Alex Van Beveren and the remarkable hospitality and friendliness of Antwerp in general.

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