The government of Buryatia of the Russian Federation will host the Altargana 2016 festival next month. The festival, held every two years, will be attended by Mongolian artists and cultural representatives. The committee responsible for preparing the artists that will represent Mongolia at the festival held a press conference on Tuesday, which was attended by Buryat People’s Artist and Mongolian State Honored Artist D.Dolgormaa, and head of the Buryat Studies Academy M.Odmandakh. The Altargana festival was first organized in Dadal soum of Khentii Province of Mongolia in 1994. The 12th Altargana festival will be hosted in the capital of Buryat, Ulan-Ude. There are more than 600,000 Buryats living throughout the world. The organizers of the Altargana festival noted that 30,000 to 40,000 Buryats will attend the festival this year. The festival will hold 14 contests in cultural and arts fields and six competitions in sports. Arts and Cultural Competitions: - Buryat Folk Literature Contest - Buryat Folk Song Contest - Story Telling Contest - Dagina Pageant Contest - Folk Crafts Exhibition - Buryat Traditional Garment Fashion Show - Nandin Buuts - Buryat Peotry Contest - Essay Competition - Documentary and Film Festival - Photo Competition - Altan Tsag Journalism Competition - Book Exhibition and Competition Sports Competitions: - Buryat Wrestling Competition - Buryat Archery Competition - Ankle-bone Shooting Contest - Horse Racing - Buryat Chess Competition - “Seer Shaakh” Competition