STEPS TO THE 100^th ANNIVERSARY

Tuva is planning to hold a biennale of contemporary urban sculpture with invitations to Russian and foreign sculptors. After the end of the exhibition, the works will be placed in the streets of Tuvan capital.

This is a joint project of  Ministry of Culture of Tuva and of the mayor's office of Kyzyl to celebrate  the 100^th anniversary of  the republic's joining with Russia, and 100^th anniversary of  Kyzyl. As the ministry announced, the idea of the contest originated with the well-known sculptor Baiza Ondar and his Kievan colleague Nikita Mazayev. They will attempt to mobilize other colleagues to take part, including those from Russian regions and from abroad. 12 works will be selected from sketches submitted by the contestants, and the authors will be invited to Tuva, where they will create the actual sculptures.

In order to preserve a unique part of nature, Government of Tuva declared the re-establishment of Balgazyn Pine Forest as one of priority activities of Forest Committee activities for the next few years. The forest is located 100 km from the capital of the republic, Kyzyl, at the foot of Tannu-Ola mountain ridge. The area of the forest massif, surrounded by steppes of Central Tuvan Depression, is 28,000 hectares. This is one of the oldest preserves in Tuva, which is the habitat of a large herd of wild roe-deer among other animals.  The Balgazyn pine forest with its pure healing air is also the home of  the tuberculosis sanatorium of the republic.

Tuvans, just like many other oriental nations, welcome the New Year - Shagaa - according to the lunar calendar. The holiday does not have a constant date.  It can fall on any day between the end of January to early March. But most often it takes place in February. Celebrating the Lunar New Year is becoming more and more popular in Tuva with every year. All the time there are fewer people in the republic who are indifferent to Shagaa. This holiday really unites people. The correspondent of this daily found out what there is to expect for people this year, and what the year will be like.

Do not hold on to evil

For those who do not know it yet, this year people of Tuva will be observing Shagaa during the night from 10 to 11 February.

In Tuva, tomorrow, on 6 February at 16:00 at the Headquarters of youth organizations at USK "Subedei", there will be conducted an ethno-training event. It was initiated by Youth administration of the republic. As Syrga Suvakput, the organizer, told "Tuva-Online", the idea was born a long time ago.

"We wanted to teach young people about our traditional rituals, their history and philosophical content. Unfortunately, lectures and excursions are traditional and young people do not always come to them. But such a creative event as this should attract young people, we thought about it and decided to hold ethno-training just before Shagaa."

A performance unusual for Tuva - shadow theater show on the motives of Tuvan epic "Kangyvai-Mergen" is being prepared for the smallest viewers by puppet theater "Tête-à-tête" specially for national holiday Shagaa on 9, 10 and 11 February. The originator of the idea to introduce the epic tale in the traditions of shadow theater is a young actor-puppeteer, graduate of Moscow specialized culture institute - Aidys Chadamba.

According to the information agency "Teleinform", on 15 February at the concert hall of Irkutsk regional Philharmony, there will be a performance by khoomei (throat singing) ensemble from republic Tuva - folklore ensemble "Tyva" with their program "Journey of the Nomad".

The group was founded in 1988 by musicologist Zoya Kyrgys and national khoomeizhi of Republic Tyva Gennady Tumat for rebirth of Tuvan national culture, cultural self-identification, with the aim of preserving the performance traditions of Tuvan throat-singing.

On 11 February, people of Tuva will welcome Shagaa, the Lunar new year. Daa-Lama of Ulug-Khem kozhuun, Vadim Dagvaldai, head of local Buddhist organization "Ganden", founded in 2002, will tell us what to expect from the Year of Black Snake, which will be the sign of the coming year. Since 2010, construction of a Buddhist temple has been under way in Shagonar.

"It is definitely necessary to be careful near rivers, lakes and seas. Water will be good for harvests, and it promises a rich harvest for farmers involved in agriculture and herding of livestock.

Tuvan shamaness marina Khomushku will participate in TV project "Psychics are investigating" on Ukraine channel STB, as announced by site Tyva medee. It is analogous to a project by Russian channel TNT "Battle of the psychics".

International contest "Best products and services of Eurasia - Gemma" determined the winners of the next qualifying stage. According to results of 2012, 710 enterprises won, including 150 from 45 countries of the world, and 560 from forty regions of Russian Federation. Among them are ten firms from Republic Tyva; makers of food products, commercial production and representatives of services. They all were awarded medals and certificates of qualifying tour "Best products and services of Siberia - Gemma-2012".

For "Bai-Khaak Akva" - bottled natural non-carbonated drinking water with content of silver - the award went to OOO "Bai-Khaak".