Sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and the government of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, the 11th Asia Arts Festival will be held from August 18 to 26 at Erdos.

It is the first time that the Asia Arts Festival is held not only in the central and western regions of China, but also in the minority nationality regions of China.

The theme of the Festival is “auspicious prairie, blissful Asia.”

Time of Activities

August 18 to 29 2009

Activities

Asia Cultural Ministerial Round-table Meeting

Cultural ministers and leaders of other cultural departments from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bengal, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, the DPRK, East Timor, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Burma, Nepal, Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam will take part in the Asia Cultural Ministerial Round-table Meeting from August 17th to 20th during the 11th Asia Arts Festival. They will discuss how to face the opportunities and challenges under the global financial crisis, and at the same time sign the Ordos Proposal under their suggestions.

Ordos Nadam Festival

From August 19th to 22nd, Ordos Nadam Fair will be held in the Genghis Khan Tomb Tourist Attraction, and all the ministers will attend the grand welcoming ceremony with distinctive folk features, including wrestling, horse racing and archery. They will also enter into local families to feel themselves the native Mongolian customs and the hospitality of the people.

Performances

Opening Ceremony Performances

On the 18th night of August, “Auspicious Prairie, Blissful Asia---the Opening Ceremony of the 11th Asia Arts Festival” will be held in the Performance Square of Dongsheng District, which will be assisted by the Foreign Liaison Bureau of Ministry of Culture, China Arts & Entertainment Group, the Culture Department of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Ordos City. It will be a high-level performance reflecting features of Asia, China and Inner Mongolia.

Closing Ceremony Performances

On the 26th night of August, “Charming Ordos----the Closing Ceremony of the 11th Asia Arts Festival” will be held in Ordos Grand Theatre, which will present the rich minority culture of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Ordos City and highlight Ordos’s open, innovative and scientific development

Art Troupes

Starting from June before the festival, about 10 high-level art troupes from home and abroad will gather in Ordos to give performances. Around 15-member art troupes from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bengal, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, the DPRK, East Timor, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Burma, Nepal, Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam will also participate in the festival from the 15th to 26th.

They will together give their performances in 6 theatres including Ordos Grand Theatre, Ordos Theatre and Ordos Entertainment Centre, and 12 performance squares in Dongsheng, Genghis Khan Tomb Tourist Resort, Yijinhuoluo Banner etc. These troupes will also go to Huhhot, Baotou, Bayannao’er and Wuhai to give performances.

Street Performance

Performers from home and abroad and the Wulanmuqi Troupe will perform along the street, combining with the fancy car parade.

Asia Tour Performance of Wulanmuqi Troupe

After the festival, outstanding performers of the Ordos Wulanmuqi Troupe and those from Inner Mongolia will go to other Asian countries to perform so as to acknowledge their support on the festival.