The 13th annual Cultural Festival of Tibet and the Himalayan Peoples is set to take place in Paris on June 15 and 16, 2013. This festival — organized at the Bois de Vincennes, an enormous wooded area just on the outskirts of central Paris — will allow visitors and inhabitants of Paris to experience the various manifestations of the Tibetan cultural and experience.
Incorporating artisans, musicians, dancers, storytellers, conferences, exhibitions and films, the festival is filled with activities that will entertain and educate anyone who has ever been curious about this rich culture. There will also be special presentations from guest participants from Mongolia, who will reveal their culture through cinema, stories and seminars. Normally, activities begin around 10 or 11 in the morning and go on until the early evening.
Amongst the various activities that will be organized, visitors can count on being able to see 10 monks from the Sera Mey monastery in Tibet. This monastery has been recognized for its philosophical debates, and the monks will share their dances and sacred chants with those who wish to discover them. Plus, they will create various artistic works to be displayed during the festival, including a mandala of colored sand and sculptures made of butter.
Guests staying at Hôtel Louvre Marsollier can also view the photographic exhibition of Matthieu Richard, a French photographer who spent time in the Himalayas and brought back with him beautiful portraits and landscapes of the region. Another art exhibit, entitled ‘The Missing Peace,’ will present selected contemporary works inspired by the Dalai Lama.
Like every year, the weekend will be filled with shows, stands and cultural activities. This includes tastings of Tibetan specialties like momoks — steamed dumplings — and Tibetan tea flavored with salted butter. This is no doubt one of the most original and authentic festivals to come to Paris this year. It is all happening at the Bois de Vincennes near the Daumesnil lake.
Bois de Vincennes
Just east of the 12th arrondissement
Metro station: Chateau de Vincennes
