To the Editor:

I would like to express my enthusiastic support for the thoughts expressed in Scott McLeod great article in the past week’s edition of The Smoky Mountain News (www.smokymountainnews.com/opinion/item/25146). 

I have long felt strongly that giving our residents and guests, and especially our younger generation, access to the interchange of intangible cultural heritage that is provided by the presence of performers from around the world in our community is Folkmoot’s most valuable contribution to our society. Obviously, there are tangible benefits as well, which are important to our community; however, the intangible ones are the longest living.   

Two things strike me as especially important. The first is the impact that Folkmoot has had on the lives of many young people in our region, who have served as interns, guides, volunteers, etc., in giving them inspiration as to their future, education, careers, travel opportunities, including visiting their friends from abroad whom they met during the festival, etc.   

The second long-term benefit resides in the fact that the members of visiting groups return to their home countries with experiences in the U.S. and friends in the U.S. that, in  most cases, will insure their favorable view of our country and will never become enemies of our country, thus making a small contribution to the endless struggle for future peace on our planet.  

 The thoughts expressed in your article call attention of your readers to the benefits emanating from Folkmoot beyond pure entertainment, and we are most grateful to you for calling attention to these intangible but important results that accompany each annual edition of our festival.

 Rolf Kaufman

Folkmoot USA Board of Directors

Waynesville