Last Friday, people and visitors of the Austrian capital Vienna had a unique opportunity to learn about Republic Tuva – a presentation of this Russian region in the center of Asia took place at the Russian Center of Science and Culture (RCNK).

Those who gathered at RCNK met shamans of the “Bear Spirit” association. In full shamanic regalia - picturesque leather clothing and with ancient drums in their hands – they performed ritual dances accompanied by burning of special herbs.

Lama Suldum Bashky (Tsultim tenzin) has been elected as the Supreme lama (Kamby-Lama) of Tuva at the congress of Tuvan clergy on Friday, as the Buddhist site of the republic announced. The previous Kamby-lama Dzhambel Lodoy (Apysh-ool Sat) had been in that position since 2005. Three candidates were proposed at the elections – Dzhambel Lodoy, Bolat-ool Mergen,the head of temple “Aldyn Khuree” in Chadan, and lama Suldum Bashky. As the site notes, after the announcement of the candidates, Lodoy and Mergen retracted their candidacy in favor of Bashky, explaining that this will be the correct decision, because Bashky is one of the eldest and most respected lamas of the republic.

The participants in the first Russian-Mongolian expedition for the study of groupings of irbis (snow leopard), which took place from February 20 to March 7 on the Tsagan-Shibetu ridge (western Tuva), made the first photos of this rare predator in the republic, as announced by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) of Russia.

During the field research the members of the expedition, which included specialists from the “Uvsu-Nur depression” nature reserve (Russia), from the administration of especially protected natural territories of the Ubsu-Nuur lake basin (Mongolia), and from the Institute of Biology of Mongolian Academy of Sciences, searched practically the entire Russian part of the Tsagan-Shibetu ridge, discovered 14 tracks of snow leopard and collected fecal specimens of irbis for clarification of their numbers by DNA analysis.

More than 120 noteworthy objects have already been entered into the “Nine Treasures” contest (Tos Ertine). The claims have been entered by schoolchildren, students, regional experts, as well as organizations. The greatest activity has been shown by district professional centers, which have been sending whole volumes with descriptions of the brightest noteworthy objects of the kozhuuns of Tuva. Today, the head of the Office of the chairman of the government, Artur Mongal, announced it in a direct broadcast on the TV channel “Tyva”.

Lieutenant of justice, Shenne Mongush, an investigator from the department of investigations of the Kyzyl district internal affairs office won the title “Beauty of Tuvan Police 2010” in the competition of 11 representatives of the beautiful half of the police workers. The title of the first Vice-miss went to police Captain Elena Braum, and the second is Lieutenant Valeria Salchak. The first beauty received a trip to Olympics in Sochi.

On March 1 – 3 in the Russian Center of Science and Culture in Helsinki, a presentation of the program “Regions of Russia. Republic in the center of Asia – Tyva.” Republic Tyva is located right in the center of Asia, as evidenced by the obelisk “Center of Asia” in Kyzyl, the capital of the republic. The traditional culture of Tuvans is a culture of nomads. On March 1, the opening of the exhibitions tookplace: black and white photographs “Tuva in the early 20^th century” (author V. Yermolayev); “Archeology of kurgan “Arzhaan-II” of the Scythian period”; souvenirs and national Tuvan costumes; “Religions in Tuva” – ritual paraphernalia of shamanism. Afterwards, a concert was performed on the stage of RCSC. The head of the consulate, T.S. Kleyerova welcomed the Tuvan guests and the audience.

Merited artist of Republic Tyva, Sainkho Namchylak, who received this title in December, 2009, has branched out from the realm of musical experiments into the realm of visual arts.

Now she draws with tea, coffe and kefir.

And not just on paper, but even on goat skins.

Round table discussions concerning problems of protection of rare species of animals of Tuva just took place in Kyzyl. Altogether 50 species of animals and 90 species of plants have been included in the list in the Red Book of the region. Nevertheless, in the opinion of specialists, the protection of nature in the republic is not very good, as GTRK “Tyva” announced. The nature preserve constitutes only 8% of the entire territory of the republic. In the neighboring Republic Altai, with smaller total area, the protected land constitutes more than 20% of the total.

Tomorrow at the National Museum of Tuva at 10 o’clock, the members of the organizing committee of the special project “Nine Treasures” (Tuva) will answer the questions of journalists, regional experts, and simply all those who are interested in the noteworthy things in Tuva, and would like to take part in the project. Applications are accepted until March 15. Among the claims received to date, there are well-known Tuvan trademarks, like the Center of Asia, Por-Bazhyn, Ustuu-Khuree, (including the reasons why, historical facts, legends), as well as heretofore completely unknown objects.