2018 Tibet Mt. Qomolangma Cultural Tourism Festival to be held

It is learned on August 18 at a press conference for the "2018 Mt. Qomolangma (known as Mt. Everest in the west) Cultural Tourism Festival" that the 16th Mt. Qomolangma Cultural Tourism Festival will be held in Shigatse, southwest China's Tibet, from August 26 to September 1.

The press conference was held at Mt. Qomolangma Base Camp, 5,200 meters above sea level.

Xu Xiangguo, deputy secretary of the Shigatse Municipal Party Committee and executive deputy mayor of Shigatse, said, " Themed 'Embracing the New Era: Happy Shigatse',the festival will be jointly held by north China's Heilongjiang Province and Shigatse Prefecture, Tibet. The main event venue in Shigatse will be opened on August 26, and events in Heilongjiang will open on September 14. The two events will present a cultural feast of trade negotiations, tourism promotions, and national unity."

The organizing committee for the event has planned a series of interesting, interactive, and artistic events about cultural tourism that revolve around Shigatse's culture and history. Tashi Phuntsok, champion of the Sing! China, a popular TV music talent show in China, and other local singers have been invited to perform in the opening ceremony.

"At the opening ceremony, people will be able to appreciate traditional ethnic Tibetan fine arts as well as special song and dance performances from Nepal and Russia," Tian Bing, director of the Shigatse Municipal Publicity Office, said.

During the Mt. Qomolangma Cultural Tourism Festival, event organizers will hold an "‘Agyi Lhamo'Tibetan opera exhibition performance, a Tibetan opera vocal contest, and literature and art performance events from troupes of 18 different counties. There will also be a series of cultural and sports events including the 3rd "Angels of Mt. Qomolangma" Tourism Imagery Ambassador Awards Competition, the first Mt. Qomolangma Food Festival, the first Tibetan Poetry Festival, and an ecological bicycle ride around the city.

The Heilongjiang events to be held in Harbin will include 15 special performances, such as the Shigatse Fine Arts Performance Show, the Shigatse Ethnic Handicrafts Exhibition, the Shigatse Thangka Art Exhibition, the Sand Mandala Painting Exhibition, and the Charming Shigatse Painting and Calligraphy Photography Exhibition.