The 12-th International Culture and Tourism Festival “Roof of the World” will take place from 26 to 28 July, 2019 in the Central Park of the Khorog city (Mountainous Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast, Tajikistan). This Festival is an involving cultural event created by PU “AMESHA SPENTA” with support of the MBAO local executive body of the state power.
The aim of the project is to reflect cultural diversity (of the oblast, region, country and the world generally) and strengthen mutual understanding through the art for promoting peaceful coexistence and universal human values.
The festival helps to preserve and promote the traditional and experimental genres of music and dances of Pamir peoples, other communities of the Republic of Tajikistan, as well as of the near and far abroad countries. Conduction of the festival contributes to understanding of pluralism and tolerance among the various peoples and cultural traditions of the region. One of the objectives of the festival is development of tourism potential in the Republic of Tajikistan and improvement of the living standards of the local population.
Famous musicians from Uzbekistan, USA, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, India, the capital of the country Dushanbe and other regions of the Republic of Tajikistan will be participating in the festival. Throughout the festival days, we expect to see over 15,000 music and arts admirers – guests of the event both from Tajikistan and other countries of the world.
Within the framework of the festival, master–classes on approaches to playing various musical instruments from the participating countries’ musicians will be organized at the Ismaili Center in Khorog. During the master-classes we expect active participation of the interested students, musicians, music critics, journalists, Khorog music admirers and guests from various countries of the world including discussions and auditions of the classes by the musical art masters.
Alongside with this, exhibition of the paintings of the local artists will be held at the Ismaili Center. Within the framework of the festival, we also plann to organize and screen documentary films, organize a craftsmen exhibition and festival-bazaar of the traditional dishes and treats, prepared by representatives of the local communities and guests of the festival.
We believe that the holding of this festival will move us closer to the multifaceted expected results of the project and will contribute to preservation of peace, friendship and understanding of importance of diversity, pluralism and tolerance between the various peoples of the region, which will also help in promotion and development of the quality of eco-tourisms products and improvement of the living standards of the population, as well as attract tourists to our country.
The festival also aims to connect this remote mountainous region with the rest of the world, and brings awareness of the life and rich culture of the Pamirs region.
It is worth noting that this is the 12-th year now that the “Roof of the World” Festival has been held with financial support from such international organizations as the Swiss Cooperation Office in the Republic of Tajikistan (the main donor and partner of the festival), as well as Embassy of the United States of America in the Republic of Tajikistan, Aga-Khan Music Initiative, Aga-Khan Foundation, Tcell Company, Accelerate Prosperity and information-technical support by the Central Asian University and “Bactria” Cultural Center .
The heart and soul behind the entire organization and conduct of the festival is a team of specialists and indeed, local volunteers, who have an inexhaustible desire to organize and conduct the festival, have helped and continue to help to this date to celebrate and show on the Roof of the World the cultural identity and diversity of the traditions of the Central and South Asian peoples as well as other peoples of the world.
