DUSHANBE, September 17, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- An official inauguration of an international youth festival of design, entitled Design-2008, was held at the Kokhi Vahdat State Complex in Dushanbe Wednesday afternoon.   

The festival is held on sidelines of the third forum of the CIS creative and scientific intelligentsia, which is due at Varzob governmental residence Pugus on September 18-20.

            Education Minister Abdujabbor Rahmonov inaugurated the festival that is held in two programs: the competitive program and the out-of-competition program.  

Besides, on the sidelines of the festival, a contest is being held in the following nominations: dress modeling; interior design; photo; and jewelry. 

Fashion designers R. Sheraliyeva, M. Hamrayeva, N. Beknazarova and B. Emomov are representing Tajikistan in the dress modeling nomination.    

According to Tajik Designers’ Union head Jamshed Ghaniyev, the festival, organized by Tajik Designers’ Union in cooperation with the CIS Interstate Humanitarian Cooperation Fund, is dedicated to promote preservation of cultural diversity, development of national cultures, encouragement of intercultural dialogue and realization of creative abilities as well as opening of new talents.  The festival runs through September 19. 

Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, the project executive secretary, Ms. Gamila Abduraufova, said that they hade received some 80 applications for participation in the festival.  According to her, representatives of Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have put on display their works in the out-of-competition program, she said.   

An awards ceremony for winners of the competition will be held at the Vefa Center in Dushanbe on September 19.  

 An exhibition of works by Ms. Darya Bruker from Moscow House of Photography opened at Kokhi Vahdat today evening..   

Moscow House of Photography is a Russian museum, which maintains a large collection of old and contemporary Russian photographic masterpieces and also organizes festivals and large-scale projects.