International youth music festival opens in Kirghizia

An international youth festival of classical and folk music has opened on the bank of Lake Issyk Kul in Kirghizia, the Kirghiz Ministry of Education, Science and Culture told a RIA Novosti correspondent on Tuesday.

According to the ministry's official, more than 200 musicians aged 14-25 from 23 countries have arrived in Kirghizia to participate in the festival.

The programme of the festival includes contests in two categories: folk music and classical music.

The festival is sponsored by the Meerim international charitable foundation, headed by Mairam Akayeva, the wife of the Kirghiz president.

The money earned by the festival will be used to build Altyn Balalyk children's village, an orphanage for some 100 children.

Young musicians will give a charitable concert at the construction site of the children's village. According to the organisers, the participants in the festival will be able to see with their own eyes how their earned money will be spent.