2008- Santa’s year…
Following on from CXW’s article on Santa-tracking competition in Kyrgyzstan, I am now referring to AKIpress news agency that informs readers about the next crazy plans of the state tourism agency on further developing the “Santa mania” thing in Kyrgyzstan. The state tourism agency under the Presidency of Kyrgyz Republic and the Ministry of Culture and Information are jointly initiating the series of festivals under the name “Kyrgyzstan is the true home of Santa Claus” for the world recognition of Kyrgyzstan as Santa’s motherland.
In the framework of the festivals, the state agency on tourism is planning to implement a whole bunch of activities such as the World Congress of Santa Claus in 2008 year with participation of BBC news, Euronews, CNN and other leading mass media and the Christmas travel of Santa for Christmas gifts distribution to children around the world with participation of famous political figures, “stars” of world art and culture.
According to the head of department of international organizations, the final results of the scientific research of the Swedish logistics company Sweco show the true home of Santa is Kyrgyzstan. That is why we are addressing the people of the country to support our idea of Santa festivals. The year of 2008 will be announced as a year of Santa Claus and we will prove to the rest of the world that Santa is our fellow countryman and deserves the same recognition as Kydyr-ata, Ayaz-ata, Cholpon-ata, the famous Kyrgyz fairy characters. Santa will become a part of Kyrgyz cultural and spiritual heritage. I wonder what will be next step of Santa mania in Kyrgyzstan…
on December 14th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
“Santa will become a part of Kyrgyz cultural and spiritual heritage. I wonder what will be next step of Santa mania in Kyrgyzstan…”
:)))) Manmanman. ‘Spiritual’. Are they really so desperate and outlandish that they need to play the clown to that extent?!
That reminds me a bloke from the city administration of Sülükta who I met when I worked in the south of Kyr in 2001, the ‘Year of Tourism’. He was convinced that opening beauty salons in Sülükta (a dreary, run down coals mining town) would put his town on the world tourist map and seemed very confused when I burst into laughther.
Now that we’re at it, why not turn Kyrgyzstan wholesale into a theme park where Chinese tourists can come and toss nuts and coins at the natives… Come on Kyrgyz: where’s your pride?