Secretary Powell Participates in Smithsonian Folklife Festival

Secretary Powell spoke at the opening ceremony of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the Washington Mall, kicking off the 10-day event, "The Silk Road: Connecting Cultures, Creating Trust."  The theme for the festival, which is sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution and is being held June 26-30 and July 3-7, was conceived by internationally acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who also is coproducing the event. Featuring the talents of numerous artists, musicians, chefs, and others, the festival celebrates the legendary Silk Road which connected Europe to Asia for many centuries, leading to further cross-cultural integration and sharing of ideas and goods between the East and the West.

The lighting of the Tree of Life oil lamp by Secretary Powell and Rajeev Sethi, Scenographer and Director of the Asian Heritage Foundation, officially opened the festival (see photo above). In his remarks, Secretary Powell recognized the importance of the Silk Road and the inhabitants of the region to the world community, past and present. He reminded the audience, "The Silk Road is more than a subject for magazines and museums. It is more than an image of past glories. The nations of Central Asia are once again joining the nations at either end of the Silk Road on a path to a better future for all... The Silk Road is once again a living reality, as the over 350 artists and craftspeople from 20 nations here testify." The opening ceremony celebrated the diversity of the Silk Road region and highlighted the hard work of many to make the festival a success. In addition to Secretary Powell's remarks and those of His Highness Aga Khan, Senator Edward Kennedy, and others, the audience heard from a number of performers, including Yo Yo Ma and his Silk Road ensemble. One of the highlights of the ceremony occurred when Mongolian throat singers led the distinguished guests, including Secretary Powell, in a throat singing lesson (see photo below).

The 25-acre site on the Washington Mall lawn will be alive over the next 2 weeks with the indigenous music, dancing, food, and crafts of 350 artisans from 20 different nations, from Uzbekistan to Italy (see below for full list). These demonstrations include Mongolian wrestling, glass blowing, two bilingual camels which respond to commands in English or Kazakh, a painted Pakistani truck (see photo below) and many other exhibitions that reflect the excitement and richness of the various cultures of the Silk Road region. The U.S. State Department has been a key player in the planning process of the festival, providing contacts in Silk Road countries through its embassies and consulates. It also has provided significant financial and other support for the festival through the Bureaus of European and Eurasian Affairs, Educational and Cultural Affairs, and Public Affairs, which are sponsoring a number of artisans, performers, and exhibits from the region as well as a 2-week Silk Road Reporting Tour for journalists from the region.

This will be the 36th year that the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage has sponsored the annual Folklife Festival, which generally draws at least a million visitors. The festival generally focuses on a particular country or region, highlighting the arts and cultural aspects that are indigenous to the area.

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Fact Sheet: U.S. Department of State Supports Silk Road Festival