The popular Tuvan artist Eduard Ondar, who played the title role in the film “The Secret of Genghis Khan”, received the honorable title “Merited Artist of Republic Sakha (Yakutia)”. The state award was presented to him on May 30 on the stage of the Tuvan Theatre of Music and Drama of P.A.Oyunskiy by the director of the theatre, Anatoliy Nikolaev. The all-Russian premiere of the film took place on March12, 2009. The film will be introduced in the international cinematic festival in Montreal.

The unique ethno-rock-festival “Ocean of Compassion” which started in Kalmykia, culminated in a gala concert in the Great Hall of the Moscow International House of Music on June 2. The festival was dedicated to the occasion of the 400th anniversary of voluntary entrance of the Kalmyk nation into the system of Russian state, and to the Year of Youth. The concert was officially opened by the Head of Republic Kalmykia, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.

The international “Drum of the World” of the Norwegian Saami remained in Kyzyl, the capital of Tuva, for almost two weeks. Today it started out on its trip through the rural districts of Tuva. Western Ulug-Khem and Chaa-Khol districts will be the first to welcome this symbol of the pagans of the world, as told to ITAR-TASS by Kara-ool Dopchun-ool, the head of the shamanic society “Adyg Eeren” (Bear Spirit”), which invited the drum to Tuva.

The entire republic was watching the action “Help Arat!”, which was initiated to help 7-year-old Arat Mongush. It started on April1 of this year from an announcement by Tuvan students on the Internet. Our countrymen notified us, that a little boy from Chadan is in treatment in one of St. Peterburg hospitals. The boy had had expensive surgery, and needed money to pay for his therapy.