Paris: On a bright sunny Saturday morning, the 21st edition of the Festival of Tibet and the Himalayas was inaugurated in the lush green setting of the Bois de Vincennes located in the 12th arrondissement of Paris. The Maison du Tibet under the direct supervision of the Bureau du Tibet, organised a two-day Festival from 3-4 September annually in Paris. Over the years, it has become a major cultural event. Every year a different theme is chosen with the utmost consideration for the Festival and this year’s theme was “Water from the roof of the world: the rivers that unite us”.
The official ceremony began with the procession of the portrait of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, which was installed on the throne on the main stage.
Ms Emanuelle Pierre Marie, Mayor of the 12tharrondissement of Paris and Representative Rigzin Genkhang inaugurated the festival amid chanting of prayers of invocation and Sangsol to purify the venue. Ms Geneviève Garrigos, Municipal Councilor at the Paris city hall later joined in the festivities.
In her opening speech Representative Genkhang recalled and paid tribute to Ms Yuthok, the first female Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Paris during whose mandate the Festival of Tibet and the Himalaya was established in 2000 without forgetting the precious work of her subsequent male predecessors.
She also underscored the important role of the Tibetan community for their contribution to the French economy and for the harmonious and peaceful co-existence with the French people.
Over 20 stands run by individual businesses, various associations, Buddhist centers and artists cater to the public. Majority of the stands sell a mix of Tibetan and Himalayan artifacts but also spices. The musical backdrop, dance performances on stage create a festive ambiance. Restaurants cater mainly Tibetan cuisine including momos and butter tea but also Himalayan cuisine that tease the taste buds of the public and take them on a culinary journey without leaving the French capital.
Various discussions were held on different topics, such as “The current situation in Tibet”, where Representative Genkhang and Mr Pierre Antoine Donnet, a scholar, journalist and former Editor-in-Chief of AFP, participated. Seizing the opportunity, the latter also presented his upcoming book titled “Chinese files”, which he wrote with other authors. Simultaneously there were ongoing exhibitions and film projections on Tibet in the pagoda and the tents.
The Saturday night concert saw performances by French artists of The Voice and Eurovision and Tibetan artists including Thupten Tsering from Arunachal Pradesh, Namgyal Lhamo, Lobsang Delek, Tenzin Gyalpo (Michael), Phula, DJ Kunga and others. Over three thousand people sang and danced to the beats of the music until the early hours of Sunday.
The Festival concluded on Sunday evening with the dismantling and dispersion of the Sand Mandala prepared for the Festival in the nearby lake and the traditional circle dance with the participation of the public.
Thupten Tsering, Secretary of Bureau du Tibet and Jigme Dorji led the Festival, while Tenzin Norden was deployed from Bureau du Tibet, Brussels, to assist them. However, the Festival is made possible largely by the contribution of the volunteers who have been helping to make the organisation possible. During the closing ceremony, Representative Genkhang and her team expressed their gratitude for the hard work they put in every year by offering them a traditional scarf.
Over 5000 Parisians, Europeans and other people gathered together and discovered the rich culture of Tibet and the Himalayas.
