Tuvan Ministry of Culture has determined the dates for the next All-Republican Contest among the makers of Tuvan traditional instruments. It will be held in Kyzyl, May, 19-22. The winner of the last Contest was Aldar Tamdyn, teacher at the Kyzyl Art School (Traditional Instruments Department), artistic director of the Tuvan orchestra of folk instruments.

Popular folk group 'Tyva Kyzy' (Tuvan Girl) is performing these days in Moscow. The group is a unique one – it consists only of girls, who are both virtuose instrumentalists and throat-singers, inspite of the common belief that girls' throat-singing can diminish male strength of their partners and bring to their own infertility. Tyva Kyzy was founded in 1998 on Choduraa Tumat's initiative who is still the leader of the group.

A new book by famous Russian ethnographer Sevyan Weinstein 'Mysterious Tuva: Expeditions to the heart of Asia' issued in Germany by Alouette Verlag, is presented these days at the International Leipzig Book Fair. It acquaints a reader with the mysterious place called Tuva through the eyes of a curious observer who devoted to the republic in the very heart of Asia 50 years of his life.

The museum-room devoted to famous young artist Nadya Rusheva, who died 16, is opened anew in Moscow school #470 where Nadya had been studying. Nadya comes of the family of Konstantin Rushev, Russian artist, and Natalia Azhykmaa, one of the first Tuvan ballet-dancers. Her parents got acquainted in the first theatre studio set up in the 40-ties in Tuva by a group of Russian specialists who came there on the invitation of the Tuvan Government. Konstantin Rushev was a theatre designer. Natalia Azhykmaa was the soloist of the first dancing company organized by choreographer Anatolii Shatin.

The 3d International Congress of reindeer people has just opened in Yakutsk. It gathered in the capital of the Republic of Yakutia over 500 participants from Russian regions, including Tuva, and abroad – Finland, Greenland, Canada etc. Problems of reindeer economies are on the agenda of this representative forum. In Tuva the number of reindeer has diminished of late drastically hardly making up 1000 animals.

The Russian company of the Tuvan Drama Theatre is being restored, says chief director Alexei Oorzhak. After over a 10-years' interval they are rehearsing the 'Leningrad Night' play by Konstantin Paustovski. The Tuvan Drama Theatre was founded 70 years ago. In 1943-1944 a big group of Russian specialists came to the republic on the invitation of the Tuvan government.

The 6th All-Russian Contest in Folk-Dancing 'Leader-2004' has gathered in Moscow the best professional dancers from many Russian regions – Kalmykia, Buryatia, Tuva, Kabardino-Balkaria, Tatarstan - and from Kazakhstan. Tuva was presented by soloists from the state ensemble 'Sayany' Omak Sat and Shonchalai Kongar. Their concourse program was staged by young choreographer Choigana Sanchai who was the main support for the Tuvan dancers at the competition.

Vice-Chairman of the Tuvan Government Orlan Cholbenei, representing Tuvan interests in Moscow, has resigned March, 4, briefly reported governmental press-service. The notoriously-known Tuvan official has occupied this high position over 5 years in spite of the numerous facts of his misbehaviour. First and foremost ex-dancer Orlan Cholbenei presented a false diploma confirming his higher education received at the Tashkent University (Uzbekistan), which he never graduated from as it turned out later.

One of the best-known Tuvan throat-singers - 'Huun-Huur-Tu' group will participate in the cultural program of 'Golden Mask' Theatre Awards ceremony, Russian 'Vedomosti' paper reports.

Tuvan Shaman Oyun Liudmila Kara-oolovna of Kyzyl local religious organization of shamans 'Adyg Eeren' ('The Spirit of the Bear' of Republic Tuva), lead two-day seminars in Prague and Bratislava February 2005. For the inhabitants of the capital of Slovakia the seminar was carried out a second time.