Kyrgyzstan to host Int’l Oimo-2019 festival

Bishkek, July 23, 2019. /Kabar/. The Oimo international festival of traditional culture and crafts will be held in Kyrgyzstan, Director of Department of Tourism Maksat Damir uulu told during the press conference at Kabar News Agency.
The festival will start in Bishkek on July 25-28 in the Oak Park Gallery, where artisans from Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia present their works. Then, the participants will exhibit their works in the resort capital of Issyk-Kul, Cholpon-Ata, from July 30 to August 4.
"There is need to support such events in order to preserve cultural heritage, revival of craftsmanship through traditional knowledge," the director said. Craftsmanship in Kyrgyzstan is a very important factor in the development of tourism. Through festivals like Oimo, we show that Kyrgyzstan has something to show.
Dinara Chochunbayeva, the Director General of the Oimo Festival, UNESCO expert on intangible cultural heritage, international expert of crafts, sharing the peculiarities of this year, noted that a parade of participants and guests, flash mob, master classes for children and adults, ethno style fashion shows from Kyrgyz and foreign designers, presentations, performances of musical groups and epic storytellers, demonstration of animated films and videos are planned.
"Last year, the festival became the national, which we have been striving for all these years. The Oimo gives a platform where all organizations, people who are not indifferent to the development of culture and crafts, can show themselves, their works, make presentations of their ideas. Many young people have joined the festival this year," she said.
This time among the organizers is the Kyial National Association of Folk Artistic Crafts. Its director, Daniyar Terbishaliyev said that the festival has proved to be a great success, acting as a platform for bringing together representatives of different types of crafts.
In conclusion, Chochunbayeva added that the festival will include the following exhibitions: "Names", "Felt Forms", "Puppet Exhibition", a round table on "A new view of traditions" with the participation of experts from the museum department, ethnographers, designers, craftsmen, art-managers and a lecture program of the Kurak women's forum.