SMITHSONIAN FESTIVAL TO FEATURE BHUTAN
Thimphu 9 November 2005 - BHUTAN, in all its cultural diversity, will be presented at the symbolic heartland of the United States as part of the 42nd annual Smithsonian Folklife festival in 2008.
More than 100 Bhutanese musicians, dancers, artisans, cooks, carpenters, farmers and other exemplars will “demonstrate the entire life and culture of Bhutan” at the 10-day festival from June 25 to July 6 at the national square in Washington D.C.
Artisans will demonstrate Bhutan’s 13 traditional arts (zorig chusum), weavers will showcase Bhutan’s complex weaving traditions, sculptors, painters and carvers will demonstrate the arts that continue to adorn temples as well as Bhutanese homes and monastic dancers will perform masked dances which have never before been performed in the United States.
“It is the largest public festival of its kind in the world and close to 1.5 million people are expected to attend it,” said Mr. Preston T Scott who is with the world foundation for environment and development and also the Bhutan advisor for the festival.
Mr. Preston T Scott said the theme of the festival was built around the concept of Gross National Happiness and the festival would explore how everyday life in Bhutan is reflected in the pursuit of this concept.
The 2008 festival is being organised in partnership between the Smithsonian Centre for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, the World Foundation for Environment and Development and the Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs of the Bhutanese government.
The cost to bring festival to the United Sates is estimated to be around US$ 2 million. Smithsonian has already committed more than one third of the amount and has pledged to cooperate with the Bhutanese government to identify another $ 300,000 in country. “The remaining US $ 1 million will have to be raised from interested individuals, foundations, corporations and organisations,” said Mr. Scott who is in the country with a group of US philanthropists.
According to a concept paper for Bhutan’s participation at the 2008 festival by the ministry of home and cultural affairs the festival will provide a great opportunity for Bhutan to portray its cultural heritage and speak directly to the millions of Americans and international visitors to the event.
The festival is America’s pre-eminent living cultural exhibition outdoors which has been described as a “high quality, high visibility museum without walls”.
~ Source: Kuensel, Bhutan's National Newspaper
