1.5 lakh people from across the world to participate in World Culture Festival in US: Organisers

Washington, May 19 (PTI) More than 1.5 lakh people from across the world will participate in the fourth World Culture Festival which is being organised by the Art of Living Foundation here later this year, the organisers have announced.

District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser along with spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar kicked off the preparation of the mega event, which is often called the Cultural Olympics.
According to the organisers, more than 150,000 visitors from around 180 countries are likely to participate in the three-day mega event that will be held here from September 29 to October 1 this year.

“It is the mission of this time together that we come together as world citizens, as fellow humans, to celebrate our humanity, to reconnect, to demonstrate, that we can do big things when we work across cultures, when we work across backgrounds and beliefs and work as human beings to make this a better world,” Mayor Bowser told reporters at a news conference here on Thursday that was jointly addressed by Sri Ravishankar.

Praising the significance of such events, she said: “We’re expecting to welcome over a hundred thousand people, I’m told more, from more than 180 countries will come to our National Mall. And you won’t be surprised that I’m gonna say that this is the perfect place for the world to come together. We do it every single day”.

“I want to thank the World Culture Festival organisers and the Art of Living Foundation in advance for the hard work that we have ahead of us in partnership to welcome tens of thousands of human beings to Washington, DC,” the city mayor said.

Sri Ravishankar said that so far more than 50,000 people have already registered for the mega cultural festival in the city on the historic National Mall in the US capital.
The previous three editions of the once-in-four years’ World Culture Festival were held in Bangalore, Berlin and New Delhi.

“It’s time that we have to spread the message of harmony and peace. … In a world where there is a post-pandemic, especially when there is an aggression on one side and depression on the other side, and a huge mental health crisis that we are facing, I think it’s timely for us to come together in a spirit of celebration and honour our diversity, which is the wealth of humanity,” Sri Ravishankar said.

He also announced that the Art of Living Foundation will honour frontline workers and health workers during the festival.

“We would choose two of them from the whole of the country here, United States, and would like to honour two healthcare professionals, workers; two of the firemen who have been fighting fire, two environmentalists, and then two from union leaders who are putting their heart and soul to keep life going on, on our cities and our countryside.

“We need to honour these people. And the World Culture Festival will be an occasion to recognise their contribution to our society,” he said.

The three-day event at the National Mall would be seen by billions of people across the world.
“So, the message is very clear from all of us that we are one global family and we need to care for each other and share our rich heritage with each other,” Sri Ravishankar said.

“We need to bridge the gap. There is a lot of polarisation in the world. The World Culture Festival is an occasion for people to come together and celebrate each other’s differences. It is the need of the hour, to bring people together in celebration and to spread the message of peace and to say that we are one human family,” he said.

He said the World Culture Festival is expected to attract more than 150,000 visitors.
According to city officials, this festival is expected to rake in over USD 30 million in revenue.
Art of Living Foundation said at least 50 world leaders, including current and former heads of state, members of national parliaments and international governmental organisations, have already committed to attending the Festival.

Prominent among them include former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Chan Santokhi, President of Suriname; Pravind Jugnauth, Prime Minister of Mauritius; Vicente Fox, former President of Mexico; Federico Franco, former President of Paraguay and Venkaiah Naidu, former Vice President of India.

A global Faith Advisory Council is being convened in support of the World Culture Festival.
The Council, composed of leaders from faiths of the world, will share messages about common values of peace, harmony and partnership to nurture greater unity and togetherness, a media release said.

In addition, there will be a diverse international food festival associated with the event that is expected to attract thousands to sample international cuisines made by chefs from around the capital region.