asked Her Majesty's Government:

What involvement they have had with the 41st annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Northern Ireland at the Smithsonian; whether they were involved in the decision regarding selection of items for the exhibition; and, if so, what consultations were carried out prior to the selection. [HL406]

Northern Ireland is participating in the 41st Smithsonian Folklife Festival at the invitation of the Smithsonian Institution. DCAL co-ordinates the NI Government's involvement in the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. The decision as to festival participants is the Smithsonian Insitution’s. The Smithsonian is being guided in its research on possible festival content by a broadly constituted, Northern Ireland-based curatorial group, made up of representatives from more than 35 different cultural and arts organisations from the public and voluntary sector. To date, more than 400 recommendations have been made to the Smithsonian by the curatorial group and others. Detailed research into festival content, based on their suggestions, is presently under way. No one has yet been formally invited to participate. An announcement on participants is expected in February 2007. Further information may be found on the websites www.folklife.si.edu and www.rediscoverni.com.