On the origin, the users came from a great part from the associative world and justified themselves by their member card. In certain countries like France, this justification was the rule and was used to filter the holidaymakers. Meanwhile, a customer base, more or less naturist, was constituted and for the reasons we have just seen, was not eager of community life. To their intention were invented the “passports” which were actually only a formality of entry providing directly or indirectly incomes for the federations and in the majority of the cases for the centres, which sold them with a substantial appreciation. And there the naturist world is entangled in the traps of money with the consequences we know.
We are not yet out of there. The French federation was touched straight by this phenomenon and the leaders of the other federation worry about their future. Groups and sub-groups reject rightly or wrongly the responsibilities to each other and crises take place. The INF is told off and is seemed of inefficiency. But like the national federations, the INF has not any legal coercive capacity upon companies respecting the laws of their country, even if they are naturist. The INF has not either the capacity to prevent the human to function differently than human, Now, the naturist movement is a human institution, it is not to be forgotten.
In this complicated situation which touches since two years the European federations, the INF as well as possibly affirms its solidarity with them while refusing any compromising with organizations with doubtful intentions. Thus the INF was brought to cancel last year the festivities of its fiftieth anniversary and the sporting meetings, which were attached to it. Envisaged in two big French commercial centres, these major events were reduced to an international pétanque tournament in Germany, on the ground of an association where in fringe, certain leaders of our movement coukl meet friendly in an informal way. The minds, still adjusted on an initially programmed solemnity, could by this fact appreciate the atmosphere created by voluntary members who worked steadily to make this event a success. And everyone rediscovered the naturism of its origins: great communication between all, sense of the friendship and sharing of our values. This example, like others proceeding in associative sphere, showed that if the life in clubs is of course subject to some very necessary rules cropping a little on the individualism of each one, it offers on the other hand an atmosphere of mutual respect characterizing the naturism of the origins.
Is it then necessary to become manic heist and to say that the good naturists would be the club members of the less good the others? Of course no! There are commercial centres managed by naturist owners whose ideal precedes the concept of sales turnover and who prefer to give up customers seeking to live nudity “à la carte” rather than to nauseate, as that happens unfortunately more and more, the authentic naturists by the visual pollution of textile customers fow hom the 99% of the whole existing tourist accommodations are available. At the same time, that should not release the associative clubs accommodating the naturists of passage to prohibitory tariffs, which is in contradiction with the respect of others we proclaim, or others who do not think any more about the natural life and its rules or others who still refuse to evolve by forgetting that what they built has also to be used by the future generations.
At this point of the reflection, how have we to glance as responsible actors of organized naturism to the future of our movement? In the light of what we observe, we realize that it is possible to practice naturism in a healthy way under various alternatives. Not organized, it is often the opportunity of the first step for potential members coming to join our circles.
In its organized phase, we saw that the role of the federations is irreplaceable. They must continue to federate their members and militants by always privileging our life style. They can give their recommendation to the profit of the promoters and managers of companies who have chosen their activity on the basis of naturism and make of it a noble trade and of high moral value and who are themselves impregnated and convinced by one philosophy, ready to transmit it to their personnel while acting by the example. These values, sometimes a little host of sight by short-term worries, must remain our unifying thread.
The INF will only be strong if all its member federations, while adapting to the world, which surround them, remain faithful to the incompressible principles universally proclaimed and recognized thirty years ago in France at the Congress of Sérignan. The naturists who purchase their annual stamp must be aware that by this action they support of course the recognition of naturism in their country, but also its access under worthy conditions by citizens of countries calling upon the INF to find the arguments enabling them to intervene with their authorities.
let us not lose us in destroying quarrels while other countries open to naturism and set up their new structures in the pioneer mind which animated our elder a few decades earlier. Only this return to our roots will ensure the perenniality of a serene naturism.
We are not yet out of there. The French federation was touched straight by this phenomenon and the leaders of the other federation worry about their future. Groups and sub-groups reject rightly or wrongly the responsibilities to each other and crises take place. The INF is told off and is seemed of inefficiency. But like the national federations, the INF has not any legal coercive capacity upon companies respecting the laws of their country, even if they are naturist. The INF has not either the capacity to prevent the human to function differently than human, Now, the naturist movement is a human institution, it is not to be forgotten.
In this complicated situation which touches since two years the European federations, the INF as well as possibly affirms its solidarity with them while refusing any compromising with organizations with doubtful intentions. Thus the INF was brought to cancel last year the festivities of its fiftieth anniversary and the sporting meetings, which were attached to it. Envisaged in two big French commercial centres, these major events were reduced to an international pétanque tournament in Germany, on the ground of an association where in fringe, certain leaders of our movement coukl meet friendly in an informal way. The minds, still adjusted on an initially programmed solemnity, could by this fact appreciate the atmosphere created by voluntary members who worked steadily to make this event a success. And everyone rediscovered the naturism of its origins: great communication between all, sense of the friendship and sharing of our values. This example, like others proceeding in associative sphere, showed that if the life in clubs is of course subject to some very necessary rules cropping a little on the individualism of each one, it offers on the other hand an atmosphere of mutual respect characterizing the naturism of the origins.
Is it then necessary to become manic heist and to say that the good naturists would be the club members of the less good the others? Of course no! There are commercial centres managed by naturist owners whose ideal precedes the concept of sales turnover and who prefer to give up customers seeking to live nudity “à la carte” rather than to nauseate, as that happens unfortunately more and more, the authentic naturists by the visual pollution of textile customers fow hom the 99% of the whole existing tourist accommodations are available. At the same time, that should not release the associative clubs accommodating the naturists of passage to prohibitory tariffs, which is in contradiction with the respect of others we proclaim, or others who do not think any more about the natural life and its rules or others who still refuse to evolve by forgetting that what they built has also to be used by the future generations.
At this point of the reflection, how have we to glance as responsible actors of organized naturism to the future of our movement? In the light of what we observe, we realize that it is possible to practice naturism in a healthy way under various alternatives. Not organized, it is often the opportunity of the first step for potential members coming to join our circles.
In its organized phase, we saw that the role of the federations is irreplaceable. They must continue to federate their members and militants by always privileging our life style. They can give their recommendation to the profit of the promoters and managers of companies who have chosen their activity on the basis of naturism and make of it a noble trade and of high moral value and who are themselves impregnated and convinced by one philosophy, ready to transmit it to their personnel while acting by the example. These values, sometimes a little host of sight by short-term worries, must remain our unifying thread.
The INF will only be strong if all its member federations, while adapting to the world, which surround them, remain faithful to the incompressible principles universally proclaimed and recognized thirty years ago in France at the Congress of Sérignan. The naturists who purchase their annual stamp must be aware that by this action they support of course the recognition of naturism in their country, but also its access under worthy conditions by citizens of countries calling upon the INF to find the arguments enabling them to intervene with their authorities.
let us not lose us in destroying quarrels while other countries open to naturism and set up their new structures in the pioneer mind which animated our elder a few decades earlier. Only this return to our roots will ensure the perenniality of a serene naturism.
Charles Obergfell
INF Vice-president
INF Vice-president
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