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For nearly two weeks, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival will be held outdoors on Washington&rsquo s National Mall. In addition to the culture of Colombia, other featured exhibitions include the Peace Corps and Rhythm & Blues. The Nature of Colombian Culture program will highlight the bio-cultural diversity of the country and explore how cultural expressions are connected to their environments.
Also over 100 Colombian artists will share the nature of the Colombian culture, sing, dance, tell stories, prepare typical foods and arrange a demonstration of the most emblematic religious ceremonies, among other activities.
With the aim of promoting the country's media in the United States prior to the festival, PROCOLOMBIA has organized press trips with journalists from the most recognized outlets. These way journalists experienced firsthand the country's main tourist attractions that will be shown weeks later in Washington.
" We proudly join with more than one hundred Colombian tradition bearers, a team of researchers, and the Colombian Ministry of Culture to tell the untold story of the &lsquo real&rsquo Colombia, focusing on six regional ecosystems and its three largest cities&mdash Bogotá , Medellí n and Cali,&rdquo said Dr. Daniel Sheehy Director of the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.
" Every year, more than one million people attend this festival &ndash one of the most important annual cultural events in the United States &ndash and this year we invite them and many more to come to discover Colombia,&rdquo said Colombian Ambassador to the U.S. Gabriel Silva. " Those who come to festival will have an opportunity to behold the profound beauty of our country, the warmth of our people, the richness of our traditions and the foundation of our cultural heritage.&rdquo
Colombia is a destination transformed and has seen significant growth in tourism. " According to the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Colombia has seen a large increase in U.S. travelers and has seen visitor arrivals almost double since 2006,&rdquo said Maria Claudia Lacouture, PROCOLOMBIA President.
" With a variety of destinations that provide escapes to experience nature, resorts, cruises, adventure, history, culture, shopping, religion and conventions, Colombia offers a wide range of options for every type of traveler&rdquo she concluded.
Colombia has the world&rsquo s highest number of bird species the second highest number of varieties of amphibians and plants and is third in the diversity of its reptiles. Because of its environmental diversity and history, Colombia is home to some of the world&rsquo s most distinctive cultures and traditions.
