Special Report/World Culture Festival : Celebrating Power of Peace

Celebrating 35 years of service, the Art of Living is organising the World Culture Festival 2016, a three-day event on the west bank of the Yamuna

For last few days, Yamuna Bank opposite Mayur Vihar is seeing lot of action. Hundreds of volunteers, workers and labourers are busy in preparations for World Culture Festival. The Art of Living, a movement for spirituality and world peace, on its completion of 35 years is set to bring about 3.5 million people around the world together for this festival. The programme scheduled from March 11-13, 2016, will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Naredra Modi while in the concluding ceremony Hon President Pranab Mukerjee will be the chief guest. The founder of Art of Living Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says, “This programme comprising of dance, music and arts from all over the world will play a critical role in spreading the message of peace and harmony amongst spiritual and religious leaders, political leaders and artists besides the people who are involved in various efforts for world peace.” He also added that millions of people will be brought together to experience the power of peace and efforts will be made to awaken the human values by bringing personalities from all possible fields with highest achievements.

The Arts of Living volunteers and workers are inspiring and awakening people to join the festival by organising camps all over the country. The World Culture Festival will bring world leaders and people together as one world family and celebrate peace. The message is “Celebrating diversity helps us to appreciate our uniqueness and common values, binding us as human beings.” This festival is also expected to register a world record by making it the biggest ever conglomeration of people. The collective harmony of many instruments may also be registered in the Guinness Book of World Records, for which the special team from Guinness will also be attending the fest. Organisers are hoping to make it the largest ever meet through participation of 35 lakh people.

Besides the Art of living, Government of Bharat, many state governments and other non-governmental organisations are contributing for the success of the event. Kendriya Vidyalaya (Central Schools) have decided to complete their examinations schedule before the event while Delhi government has announced closure of all educational institutions during the event. Extra DTC buses will run from various parts of Delhi towards the venue so that people can commute for the festival. Gurudwara Harmandir Saheb Amritsar and Akal Takht are going to serve food for 4 lakh people per day.

According to organisers, largest number of people would participate from Germany and Russia. Government of Bharat has arranged 317 special flights from these countries. Besides that, people from South America, Mongolia, America, Europe, Japan, Malaysia, Australia and Pakistan will join the culture festival. Total 20,000 participants are expected from the foreign countries.
Presidents, Prime Ministers and other important dignitaries are also expected to join the event to experience the spiritual power of Bharat. Ministry of Culture and tourism, Sangeet Natak Academy, Lalit Kala Academy and National School of Drama will contribute in successful organisation of the grand carnival. Tourism ministry has booked around 5,000 hotels in and around Delhi for the guests.
Main stage is being equipped with all the modern facilities. Besides separate altars will be erected for various performing arts.
The reception committee of the festival will be represented by eminent personalities such as senior BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani, retired Chief Justice RC Lahoti, former Prime Minister of Netherlands Ruud Lubbers etc. Minister for Railways Suresh Prabhu, Power minister Piyush Goyal, and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav along with many other leaders will address the gathering.
Many spiritual festivals are organised in Bharat but if organisers are to be believed, this will be the most unique gathering under the leadership of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
Sri Sri popularly called as Guruji by his followers says, “Unless our mind is stress-free and society is fee from violence, world peace cannot be ensured.” During the event various products of Arts of Living will be publicised including books, CDs and ayurvedic medicines. This mega-event may turn out to be path breaking in giving a new direction to the efforts of restoring peace and harmony all over the world.  

Arun Kumar Singh