Timimoun hosts international balloon and kite festival
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More than 70 athletes and delegations from 20 countries are taking part in the event.
The international balloon and kite festival is taking place in Timimoun, with giant balloons floating over the Red Oasis.
Awras reported that social media users shared videos of the balloons on the eve of the festival's opening. One balloon carried the colours of the national flag, a sight that joined desert scenery with national symbols.
More than 70 athletes are taking part in the festival, along with delegations from 20 countries. The report says this gives the event an international reach and raises the profile of the area among tourist and sports events.
The festival aims to promote Algeria as a tourist destination. It also gives visitors a chance to see the Red Oasis from the air, during balloon and kite displays.
The programme includes giant kite displays in the morning, timed to sunrise. Further displays start at 14:00, and at night illuminated kites will light up the sky.
The programme also includes evening music concerts that bring local heritage to the stage. Visitors can learn about the area's cultural and artistic heritage through these performances.
The report says the festival aims to show the natural and historical assets of the area. It names the old ksour and other heritage sites as the main attractions, along with local folklore and the customs of the people of Timimoun.
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