'Tibet Week' to kick off at Shanghai World Expo

SHANGHAI - "Tibet Week" will be held at the Shanghai World Expo from Wednesday until Sunday to celebrate Tibetan culture.

With the theme "Heaven in Tibet," the festival will include performances of traditional songs and dances, as well as exhibitions of intangible Tibetan culture and street shows, said Tashi Dorje, deputy director of the Department of Culture in the Tibet Autonomous Region.

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"The exhibition of intangible cultural heritage will be the highlight of the event," said Norbu Sidar, a painter of Thangka, a Tibetan painting style using silk and with embroidery depicting Buddhist deities and other Buddhist scenes.

Apart from Thangka, Tibetan carvings, medicine, sports, food and other intangible cultural heritage will also be on display.

Almost 400 singers and dancers will take part in the performances.

Sonam, a dancer, said: "We have practiced more than 50 days for the performance. Although everyone is tired, all of us are full of passion."

"More than 60 Tibetan students from our school will take part in the street shows," said Tenzin Dargye, a junior student from Shanghai Gongkang Middle School.