Nova Gorica hosting World Lace Congress
Nova Gorica, 3 August - The border city of Nova Gorica is hosting the 20th World Lace Congress and the general assembly of the International Bobbin and Needle Lace Organisation (OIDFA) this weekend. Some 800 participants are expected at the event, which will conclude with an awards ceremony honouring the best lace makers.
Nova Gorica
Official symbol of the OIDFA 2023 congress and general assembly.
Photo: World Lace Congress archive
The world's biggest and most important lace event, the OIDFA congress takes place every two years. The event will get under way with lace making workshops on Thursday, followed by the OIDFA general assembly and the official opening of the congress on Friday.
The event also features a lace making competition. This year's theme is Red Threads and the participants had to submit their lacework by the end of June. The winners will be declared at the closing ceremony on Sunday.
The exhibition stands running throughout the congress will feature 22 bobbing and needle lace schools, associations and groups from France, Italy, Slovenia and Spain. There will be stands selling lace making material, tools and literature.
The event will also feature lectures such as on the origin of the most typical lace stitches from Gorizia, the lace school of Izola (1881-1936), the making of bobbin lace in Slovenia and experimental lace. The exhibition area and the accompanying events will be open to visitors.
"The congress participants are coming from everywhere. There is a bus of participants coming from Denmark and one each from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Italy and Austria," Teodora Krpan, one of the oldest lace makers in Nova Gorica, told reporters ahead of the event to illustrate its significance.
The Nova Gorica post will celebrate the event with special postmarks featuring lace. Mail will be stamped with the special marks on Friday and Saturday.