UNIMA and AKT-UNIMA, Bulgaria

UNIMA (UNion Internationale de la MArionnette) is a non-governmental organization under the auspices of UNESCO uniting people from all over the world who contribute to the development of puppetry, in order to use this art in the name of universal ideals such as peace and mutual understanding between people without view of race, political, religious and cultural differences, in accordance with respect for the primordial human rights as set out in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 10^th  December 1948.

UNIMA exists to support puppetry, mainly by:

1. Encourages, through all possible forms of communication, contacts and exchanges between different continents and nations;
2. Organizes congresses, conferences, festivals, exhibitions and competitions, or takes patronage over them;
3. Assists the members of the Organization in the exercise of their democratic, intra-union, financial and legal rights in the framework of their professional activity; UNIMA can only make recommendations or offer appropriate solutions;
4. Encourages the professional formation of its members;
5. Expands historical, theoretical and scientific research;
6. Maintains the traditions of puppet theater while simultaneously encouraging the renewal of puppetry;
7. Proposes the use of the doll as a means of moral and aesthetic education;
8. Participates in the work of other organizations with similar goals.

The headquarters of the World Organization is located in the country where the UNIMA Secretary General is from. It is currently located in Sherleville-Mezieres, France, where the International Puppet Theater Institute is located.

UNIMA membership can be collective or individual.

Individual members can participate directly in the work of UNIMA bodies, elect and be elected in management units. Collective members are theaters and institutions operating in the field of puppetry. Their participation in the forums of the organization is representative principle.

In 1963 by Order 196 of the Council of Ministers of March 18, 1963

The Bulgarian center of UNIMA was established. With this, Bulgaria became a collective member of the World Organization and began to play an important role in international cultural life.

The status of Bulgaria as a country with developed puppetry with national

center up to 200 members determines the amount of international membership fees, which entitles our country to have up to three members of the Council and to participate in all structures.

Today, along with the existing state and municipal puppet theaters, in recent years, more private formations have been added, which successfully promote the achievements of the Bulgarian puppet school in the country and around the world.