17th Annual Black-necked Crane Festival

^ANNOUNCEMENT The 17^thAnnual Black-necked Crane festival will be celebrated in the courtyard of Gangtey Gonpa, in Gangteng-Phobji valley on 11^th November 2015. Since 11^th November, 2015 is also the 60^th Birth Anniversary of the Fourth King of Bhutan, this year’s Black-necked Crane festival is also very special. It will be jointly organized by the two Gewogs of Gangteng and Phobji and the local Environment Management Committee. The festival is an occasion for the locals to rejoice and celebrate the arrival of the heavenly bird which becomes part and parcel of their daily lives during the winter months.

The annual Black-necked crane festival is organized with the following objectives:

• Generate awareness and understanding among the local communities and visitors on the importance of conserving the endangered Black‐necked cranes
• Institute economic incentives (payment) for the festival to strengthen the linkages between conservation and economic welfare and sustainable livelihoods
• Provide avenue for the local community to renew their commitment to conservation of the black-necked cranes, and to showcase their cultural heritage and skills.

The festival generally includes cultural programs such as folk songs and dances (some with black-necked crane themes) and mask dances performed by the local people, crane dance and environmental related drama and songs by the school children.  The program usually starts by 9:30 am and lasts till late afternoon.

The highlight of this year’s Black-necked Crane festival is the launch of the Children’s book “Crane Boy” authored by Diana Cohn and the launch of the Commemorative stamps on Black-necked Cranes and the White-bellied Heron (rarest heron in the world).

The festival, first started in 1998, will be organized by Gangteng-Phobj Environment Management Committee (GPEMC), a local group composed of elected local leaders, women, Government representatives, business community representatives, monks and RSPN representative.  The festival has now become a part of the local culture in Phobjikha valley.

The organizers would like to welcome every one to experience the festival, visit the Gangtey Gonpa and see the beautiful black-necked cranes. Be a part of the joyous and auspicious festival and reward the community for their continued conservation stewardship.

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 17^th Annual Black-necked Crane Festival

Tentative Program and Schedule

Venue: Gangteng Goempa

Organized by: Gangteng and Phobji Environment Management Committee (GPEMC)

09:00 A.M.      Arrival of guests

09:30 A.M.      Arrival of Chief Guest and Chibdrel Ceremony

09:45 A.M.      National Flag hosting, National Anthem and Tenzhu by students of PMSS

09:50 A.M.      Marchang Ceremony

10:00 A.M       Suja Dresi

10:05 A.M       Opening speech by the GPEMC Chairman (English translation by MC)

10:15 A.M.      Speech by Chief Guest

10:25 A.M.      Launch of Children’s Book “Crane Boy” by His Eminence Gangteng Trulku Rinpoche, Diana Cohn, Author and Youme, Illustrator. Distribution of the books to Schools and Monastic Institution.

Launch of Commemorative Black-necked Crane and White-bellied Heron stamps by Dr. Kinley Tenzin, Executive Director, Dr. George Archibald, Co-Founder, International Crane Foundation (ICF, USA), RSPN and Chairperson, GPEMC.

10:35 A.M       Short remarks by Diana Cohn about the “Crane Boy” book

10:45 A.M.      Appreciation certificates to Phub Gyeltshen and Nim Tshering, two local boys for saving an injured crane in February 2015.

10:50 A.M       Announcing the result of “National Art Competition on Conservation of Black-necked Crane and White-bellied Heron”

11:00 A.M.      Cultural Program and side events of Archery and Khuru (Dart) Games

01:00 P.M.      Lunch

03:30 P.M.      Program Concludes

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TENTATIVE PROGRAM LIST

Sl. No.	Program	Performed by
1	Welcome dance	PMSS
2	Zhungdra dance	Local community
3	Rigsar dance	Bayta Pry. School
4	Mask Dance Shazam Chham	Gangteng Shedra
5	Baedra dance	Local community
6	Balloon Blasting competition
7	Black-necked Crane dance	Bayta Pry. School
8	Boedra dance	Local community
9	Rigsar Dance	PMSS
10	Mask Dance Dremtse Nga Chham	Gangteng Shedra
11	Dzongkha story reading competition among primary school children
12	Rigsar Dance	PMSS Teachers
13	Thrung Thrung Karmoi Luje	Local community
14	Rigsar Dance	Bayta Pry. School
15	Dance by Bayta School staffs/ Hotelier/PEMC members and Gewog staffs	Local staff
16	Mask Dance Zhana Chham	Gangteng Shedra
17	Tibetan dance	PMSS
18	Zhungdra	Local community
19	Regsar dance Thrung thrung karmo  by PMSS	PMSS
20	Prizes award to Balloon Blasting
21	Result declaration of story reading and award of Certificates
22	Prizes award to Archery and Khuru
23	Baedra Dance by Gewog
24	Crane dance by Bayta School	Bayta Pry. School
25	Tashi Laybay