Our activities

Certification

It has been theFloaters and Raftmen International Association’s initiative to declare “Timber Rafting City” any city that has historically been a center of waterborne timber trade; be it on lakes or down canals and rivers and that, to this day, has known how to maintain that tradition, organizing events around rivers and log rafting, creating museums, giving streets and squares names related to that trade, keeping thus its memory alive.

An official certification of these various towns has a wider objective : To give birth to a network based on the many aspects of a shared tradition, namely the forest, lumbering, rivers, log rafts and raftsmen. This network will frame our common future, organizing exchanges between citizens, associations and institutions. It will be enriching to both individuals and communities and will ensure peaceful international collaboration and fair development.

For every city wishing to apply, certification will be progressive with a friendly yet official ceremony attended by local people, International Association Board members and local authorities. They will be asked to make this certification publicly known through city information boards and signs showing their staunch support of and pride in our heritage, highlighting thus this world wide timber rafting reality. Actually the point of this web page.

In order to get our official certification, a written application should be made to the President of the International Association who will present it to the Board and the General Assembly where the decision is eventually taken. This is the reason why we urge all cities, towns and villages with such a timber rafting heritage to apply for our official certification so that a decisive step forward could be made toward this international network of Timber Rafting Cities.

Below a list of already, or soon to be, certified cities: