Festival dos Oceanos
Lisbon 2007
After an absence of five years, the Festival dos Oceanos (Oceans Festival) returns to the Parque das Naçoes, Lisbon. From July 28th to August 12th 2007, this festival is the perfect place in which to discover the world of oceanography. Parades, sand sculptures, music, dance, theatre and catwalk parades will be the main highlights of the programme. The event will be supported by the Tourism Association of Portugal, Lisbon Casino and Lisbon City Hall.The event will be based in the historic centre of Lisbon and in the district of Belem. Organizers of the festival say that it should attract more than 500,000 visitors to the Portuguese capital, and that it will promise an exciting programme of activities such as the World's Largest Human Wave, which will take place on August 12th. Be prepared for this day, since more than 10,000 ocean enthusiasts will be heading to the capital.
The main theme of the festival will be environmental protection issues, and every visitor will be encouraged to think about his/her role in protecting their environment. In fact, global warming, which has contributed significantly to the melting of polar ice caps, will be represented by an ice sculpture of one of the city's most symbolic monuments. In addition, the festival will feature an exhibition called The Water Cycle, which will chart the transition of a drop of water, from evaporation to the forming of rain until its return to the ocean.
The festival will also host a conference organised by National Geographic, which will present the works of oceanographers as well as an exhibition of the famous work of oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau.
World Tango Championships 2007
August 16th-26th 2007
"Mi Buenos Aires querido,cuando yo te vuelva a ver,
no habra más penas ni olvido.
El farolito de la calle en que nací,
fue el centinela de mis promesas de amor,
bajo su inquieta yo la vi."
For those who don't know, this is a well-known song that talks about the protagonist's beloved Buenos Aires, the host of this years World Tango Championships. Many people come to Argentina simply to enjoy this wonderful extravaganza. After all, Buenos Aires is without a doubt the world's tango capital.
This dance, which was traditionally practised by few people, is now a favourite not only in Argentina but also all over the world. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of dance classes available as well as milongas, traditional dance events where spectators can see some fine tangos and folk dances, which have a special place in the heart and soul of the public.
The fifth World Tango Championship will take place from August 16th until the 27th, and will be organised by the Ministry of Culture of the Government of Buenos Aires. The competing couples will represent their respective country or city, which will include countries from every continent as well as Argentina. All entrants must be over 18 years of age and registration is free.
The competition will be judged in two categories:
Salon Tango
The intention of this category is to promote the dance as a popular social practice at an international level.
Stage Tango
The aim of this category focuses mainly on the visual aspects of the dance, as well as promoting new values at an international level. Organisers of this category emphasise the importance of developing style and traditional skills for artistic exhibition.