Anjali Children’s Festival in Odisha capital from tomorrow
Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Nov 13:
The five-day long Anjali Children’s Festival will kick start from tomorrow at the Adivasi Ground in Odisha capital.
During the 14th international children’s festival, 600 children along with 250 escorts will participate in the camp this year. Participants from 17 states, 30 districts of Odisha and two international teams from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will be a part of the annual event.
The Anjali Carnival will give an apt start to the festival with over 3000 kids, escorts, volunteers from across the country and state will take part in a procession donning colorful attires. The little ones along with camels, horses, cultural groups and cartoon characters will march from Ram Mandir Square to Adivasi Ground to spread the message of love and an inclusive world for all, an organizer said.
Petroleum and Natural Gas minister Dharmendra Pradhan is scheduled to inaugurate the program in the presence of Chief Secretary GC Pati, Additional Chief Secretary Department of Finance RBalakrishnan and CMD NALCO TK Chand.
A special event called ‘Basket of Love’ has been introduced this year where underprivileged children will be provided with gifts. Old clothes, old toys etc. collected from various people will be cleaned and packed. As children leave camp they will pick up a gift. Over 150 underprivileged kids will be a part of the initiative.
The entire festival is coordinated by youngsters belonging to various colleges from across the state.
Popular Odia actor Sabyasachi Mishra is the brand ambassador of the festival this year. Since the last few weeks, he has been promoting the festival along with its mascot, Happy, a giant-sized smiley, at various places across Bhubaneswar.
About 3000 students from nearby mainstream schools will visit the camp. They will be sensitized about various issues relating to disability and they would undergo various challenges to let them experience various challenges of disability. Schools like Mother’s Public School, KHT International School, DAV Pokhariput, Sai International School and a number of government schools will come for camp visits.
“We celebrate the festival on a particular theme and this year the theme is – ‘A world for all, overcoming barriers’. Every year we celebrate a number of festivals in the camp and continuing the tradition we will celebrate the festival of Nabakalebara on 15th, Christmas on 16th, Lohri on 17th and Losar on the concluding day of the festival,” he informed.
A four-day children’s film festival, Bioscope, will be simultaneous conducted at Bhanja Kala Mandap during the morning hours. Films like Baaja, Sixer, Karamati Coat and Puja Paien Phulatie will be screened on November 14, 15, 17 and 18 respectively.
A number of actors, social activists, sportspersons and administrators have been invited to interact with the children during the festival.
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