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Denmark this year strengthen its cultural ties with Asia through a major festival of art and culture Images of Asia, which will takes place from August 8 to September 26 in Copenhagen and a number of other Danish cities.
He black box is a polished black wooden cube measuring 12 square centimeters, with an opening on one side. The idea is to encourage people to use the basic form to create something new. This year about 200 black boxes were sent out to children, students, parents and artists in Denmark and different Asian countries. These people are invited to curate a mini-exhibit inside a box on the theme “Sars in Asia”. The 200 black boxes will be featured at the festival.
They were distributed to Mae Shi (nun) Sansanee Sthirasuta, artist Amnach Klanpracha, singer-cum-artist G-One, physiologist Acharn Nathithip Krisanamara, writer Prabda Yoon and students of the Patai Udomsuksa School. It gives space for Asian artists to showcase their works in five categories: visual arts, performing arts, media, dialogue and arts education. The festival this year is expected to draw some two million visitors from all over the world. The project is organized by Danish Center for Culture and Development (DCCD).
Scandinavian Church in Bangkok celebrated its 10 year anniversary with a special sermon for the more than 80 participants who joined the event followed by a dinner on the terrace of the Church.
At the center of the celebrations were Tommy and Monica Qwennerberg who established the Church - then named Svenska Kyrkan i Bangkok - in its first location in a townhouse in Sukhumvit Soi 49 in March 1993. Our current priest Ulf Claesson was the host of the evening and introduced as toastmaster the many speeches and performances by the Church Choir under the leadership of Irene Kroon, Tommy Qwennerberg, Thorleif Hawi – who had composed a song for the occasion - and Kenneth Radencrantz. Main speaker of the evening was held by jubilee arrangement organizer Par Hollertz, who took us back 10 years to the early days of the church.
“I would say that we have gone through three phases of the development of the church,” he said, naming them “Den Qwennerbergska uppstartnings fasen”, “Den Olssonsska utvecklings fasen” and “Den Claessonska konsoliderings fasen”.
His recollection of the differences in attitude of the three priests called a lot of chuckle among the participants – not least the fast moving Olof and Maria Olsson, who significantly upon their arrival didn’t wait for someone to bring them the key but simply climbed the gate and broke into the church! It was also the Olssons who renamed the church “Scandinavian Church in Bangkok” and secured a Norwegian assistant – paid for! – without bothering to correct the bylaws. That was of course taken care of by their more meticulous successors Marita and Ulf Claesson.
The jubilee celebrations which started in a tropical thunderstorm ended in a cozy night on the terrace with more guitar playing and songs till midnight.
After escaping the first snow storm in New York and a long 18 hours flight I found myself, last night, cocktailing in Bangkok at the Sky Bar on top of the Lebua State Tower. Thailand is my destination for the next two weeks . The Sky Bar has been declared for three years in a row, by Conde' Nast Traveller, the hottest bar and best view in the world ! I have to say it's pretty impressive coming out of the elevator and ...wow..the Bangkok skyline explodes in front of your eyes. First impression of the city was great.
The 2010 dates for the legendary Kandy Perahera have finally been announced. This year the festivities will kick off on August 14th and finishes with the grand day procession on August 25th.
The annual Esala Perahera is a religious ceremony during which devotees pray for good rains to cultivate the crops. One of Buddhism’s most sacred relics, the Sacred Tooth is taken from the Temple of the Tooth and paraded through the streets. Following this, more festive events take centre stage and visitors can expect to see a lively cast of dancers.
If you book ahead you can reserve some of the few seats in the temporary viewing galleries which are put up in the streets and in some of the centrally located hotels. Tickets are scarce so reserve early if you want one! Similarly, hotels in Kandy get extremely busy too and early booking is advised. Some properties offer package deals for accommodation and procession tickets so contact us.
Kandy Perahera is a once in a lifetime experience so see if you can co-ordinate your travel dates and fit in a visit. This dazzling spectacle never disappoints.Kandy on March 2nd, 1815 General Sir Robert Brownrigg Bert held a Perahara a mile long on May 3rd, 1815 which well nigh rivalled the processions of the Kandyan monarchs.This was especially the case in Perahara escorting the Sacred Tooth and Bowl Relics and those connected with the worship of the devales. These Perahara or religious pageants held at the capital were great national institutions patronised by the kings to display their power and magnificence to their subjects as much as to honour the Relics and worship the Gods.Immediately following the tuskers were the Mahanayaha Theras of Malwatte and Asgiriya accompanied by two young monks. Following them were one hundred and fifty monks according to their seniority of ordination moving in a single file. Behind them an Image of Lord Buddha was carried under a canopy followed by sixty men carrying sixty banners of different hue and colour.
