Chengdu has won the right to hold the 2012, 21st World Festival of Puppet Art and the UNIMA conference.

The Chinese city won the honor in a narrow vote, over the Russian City of Yekaterinberg.

UNIMA, or Union International de la Marionette is an organization for everyone in the world, concerned with puppet theatre. Membership is voluntary. The organization was established in 1929. Now it's a part of UNESCO. UNIMA congress is a quadrennial meeting of the organization's members.

2012 will mark the first time the congress has been held in China. It'll be only the fourth time it's been held outside Europe.

(CCTV April 10,2008)