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An extravaganza of performing arts

DIFFERENT STROKES: International Children’s Festival participants from Singapore.

NEW DELHI: The International Children’s Festival of Performing Arts will be held here from December 16 to 19 in which children from across the world will perform on a single platform to spread peace and unity.

Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal will inaugurate the festival at National Bal Bhavan here. Children from all over the world will transcend physical and cultural barriers to come together in one common spirit of humanity, love and fraternity.

The tenth edition of the festival — organised by the Ryan Foundation in association with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and National Bal Bhavan — will showcase the creativity of Indian as well as international artistes in theatre, dance, music and shadow puppetry.

The festival, to be held at National Bal Bhavan, Little Theatre Group, Pearey Lal Bhavan and Shri Ram Centre, will host over 5,000 children from countries like Russia, Germany, South Korea, Singapore, Bangladesh, Iran, Israel, Nigeria, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Turkey and of course India.

Under the theme “I Can, I Will”, ICFPA will continue its journey as Asia’s “biggest festival of performing arts for children”.

An opening parade will be held from Jantar Mantar to National Bal Bhavan on December 16 in which all national and international participants will walk together, hand in hand, with flags of all the nations flying high. It will be a colourful extravaganza as circus jugglers, acrobats and other entertainers will join this cosmopolitan march.

At National Bal Bhavan, children will paint “the Bus Of World Peace”.

This grand gala will be a compilation of 250 productions from different people, different countries and different cultures. Cultural trainers from select nations are working with Indian children to facilitate cultural exchange. “Aimed at promoting the spirit of unity and brotherhood, the festival will give children from different parts of the world an opportunity to showcase their cultural nuances. It would also integrate the participants. It works towards deepening harmony between countries and exchanging artistic skills,” says ICFPA event director Utkarsh Marwah.

“This year a number of under-privileged children are also participating. Over the years the festival is growing with the expectations of our participants and I am happy that it is entering its tenth year,” says the Ryan Foundation’s MD Grace Pinto.

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