Taipei  - About 400 artists from 60 nations are to take part in Taian's Sky Lantern festival to pray for world peace, it was reported Monday.

The annual Pinghsi Sky Lantern festival is scheduled to take place in the mountain town of Pinghsi outside Taipei from January 26 to February 9.

Artists from 60 countries, including China, Japan and Mexico, have been invited for the "Light Up the World" event - and release their own sky lanterns - on February 7, United Daily News reported.

Releasing paper lanterns to pray for peace and luck is an ancient Chinese tradition. The Sky Lantern festival attracts tens of thousands of local and foreign tourists. (dpa)