VISIT MALAYSIA YEAR 2007 PROGRAMME - NATIONAL CULTURE AND ARTS DEPARTMENT

KUALA LUMPUR CHILDREN’S THEATRE FESTIVAL
Date : 17 – 21 March 2007
Location : Kuala Lumpur
Contact : 03-26127 647 / 655

Kuala Lumpur Children’s Theatre Festival will present theatre performances especially for children, teenagers and even for adults. This festival will also showcase other performances including puppet shows, wayang kulit or shadow plays, story-telling and musical performances. Workshops will also be conducted to give the opportunities for participants to increase their knowledge on children’s theatre. This festival will also include several outreach programmes to reach a larger audience.

MALAYSIAN GASING FESTIVAL
Date : 21 – 24 April 2007
Location : Pahang
Contact : 03-26127 644 / 655

Gasing or spinning top is a traditional folk game amongst Malaysians. There are many kinds of gasing including Uri, Leper and Pangkah. Gasing player must be highly skilled and well versed in many rules of the game that varies according to the type of the gasing. Malaysian Gasing Festival will present Malaysian Open Gasing Tournament involving various states in Malaysia and Invitation Gasing Performance involving gasing players from Europe, Japan and Korea.

GENDANG FESTIVAL
Date : 1 – 5 May 2007
Location : Kelantan
Contact : 03-26127 653 / 655
Gendang or commonly known as drum, is a universal musical instrument that is embraced by various societies around the world. Malaysia is no exception and is well known for a rich and varied range of drums. This musical heritage is not foreign to Malaysia and is the pride and joy of many ethnic groups here and is an indispensable part of many cultural celebrations. Gendang Festival aspires to become the medium that will sow the seed of harmony amongst the international community through the medley of beats and rhythms.

SILAT FESTIVAL
Date : 13 – 16 June 2007
Location : Kuala Lumpur
Contact : 03-26127 646 / 655

Silat Festival is the cultural battlefield for many silat (martial art) practitioners in Malaysia. This festival will include National Silat Competition that will involve the various states in Malaysia and will also see the Invitation Silat Competition involving overseas competitors, including those from United States, Europe and Asia. This festival will display the richness and the beautiful physical aspects of the silat art form, emphasizing many silat philosophies such as customs (adat), decorum, discipline and sensitivity and agility of the mind.

KUALA LUMPUR MUSIC FESTIVAL
Date : 1 – 5 July 2007
Location : Kuala Lumpur
Contact : 03-26127 645 / 655

This festival intends to turn Malaysia into a hub for the development of international music and fuelling the development of the Malaysian musical genre to international level through quality works by local musicians. This festival will showcase various events including Young Musical Talent of Malaysia Competition, symposiums, sales and exhibitions, workshops and demonstrations, fringe performances, a series of performances by both Malaysian an international musicians culminating in a Gala Concert.

KUALA LUMPUR FESTIVAL
Date : 1 – 31 July 2007
Location : Klang Valley
Contact : 03-26127 651 / 655
Kuala Lumpur Festival will parade the beautiful and varied cultural elements, art forms and traditional heritage of many ethnic groups in Malaysia for the whole world to see. This festival is part of the effort to turn Kuala Lumpur into an international hub for the arts. The festival will exhibit the overwhelmingly varied cultures through cultural performances, exhibitions and demonstrations, sales and bazaars, guided tours, film shows and competitions. These activities will comprise the areas of arts, culture and heritage such as performing arts, visual art, heritage, traditional games, language and literature
and also food.

MALAYSIAN DANCE FESTIVAL
Date : 21 – 25 July 2007
Location : Kuala Lumpur
Contact : 03-26127 / 656 / 655

Malaysian Dance Festival will unfold many talents and expert choreographers and dance groups from all over Malaysia. Participants will present traditional dances of the country’s various ethnic groups, showcasing the rich and unique heritage of these cultures. The festival will focus on three (3) forms of performances: Inter-State Dance Competition, Contemporary Dance including Ballet/Jazz and Performances by Young Talents. The combined efforts of these performances will use the Malaysian
Dance Festival as a base to exhibit traditional dances, bright young talents in all other dance genre. This dance festival will be complemented with sales and exhibitions, master class sessions, video performances and day performances.

NATIONAL YOUTH ASLI STAR COMPETITION
Date : 28 July 2007
Location : Kuala Lumpur
Contact : 03-26127 645 / 655

National Youth Asli Star Competition is a yearly programme that has been in existence since 1996. It aims at expanding the reach of Malay Asli songs amongst the younger generation. This programme is held in the form of a competition and is especially for youths between the ages of 15 – 25. It is held at the state level to choose a representative that will compete at the national level. Contestants will compete in two category: Male Youth and Female Youth.

MALAYSIAN FOLK ARTS FESTIVAL
Date : 18 – 25 August 2007
Location : Kuala Lumpur
Contact : 03-26127 660 / 654 / 655

Malaysian Folk Arts Festival will include a series of performances that will showcase the varied art forms representing many areas and communities in Malaysia. All performances will be held in Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia and the centre of the international art scene. The differences that exists has never been a limitation but has always been the catalyst that spurs the intimate and harmonious relationship amongst many cultures here, forming a neatly woven fabric that is the rich and beautiful people of Malaysia.

For further information, please contact:
NATIONAL CULTURE AND ARTS DEPARTMENT
Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage Malaysia (KeKKWa)
18th & 19th Floor, TH Perdana Tower,
1001 Jalan Sultan Ismail,
50694 KUALA LUMPUR
TELEPHONE : 03-2612 7600
FAX : 03-2697 5606
E-MAIL : kebudayaan@heritage.gov.my
WEBSITE : www.heritage.gov.my