Young ambassadors take cultural route

The four-day International Children's Festival Of Performing Arts showcased interesting performances

Considered as ambassadors of their nation’s cultural heritage, young students from 21 countries across the globe performed in style at the recently concluded International Children’s Festival Of Performing Arts (ICFPA).

Organised by Ryan Foundation in association with the Indian Council Of Cultural Relations and National Bal Bhavan, the festival spread across four days and four venues--- Talkatora Stadium, National Bal Bhavan, Kamani Auditorium and Little Theatre Group Auditorium.

This grand event, dedicated to children, hosted not just 21 countries but also enthralled the City with 24 international performances which included musical plays, dramas, circus, workshops and puppet shows. This, including 150 performances from school children across India, made ICFPA 2013 a memorable event in the cultural calender of Delhi.

Keeping in mind the theme - Brighter Tomorrow, the festival kicked off with a grand Opening Ceremony and Parade from Ambedkar Stadium to National Bal Bhavan with young ambassadors representing their countries walking hand in hand, carrying forward their mission to create a world of expressions, humanity and tranquility.

The action then shifted to the Talkatora Stadium where the show ‘We are the world’ opened the evening’s festivities. Students from various branches of Ryan International School performed a spectacular dance, light and sound show on the theme, ‘Brighter Tomorrow’.

The highlights of the festival undoubtedly were the ‘World Village’, ‘White T-shirt Ceremony’ and ‘The Directors’ Forum’. Promoting the concept of a global society, ‘World Village’ invited all the national and international teams to set up stalls and sell souvenirs and artefacts from their respective States, at the National Bal Bhavan.

The ‘White T-shirt Ceremony’ brought together all the participants at one point, wearing plain white T-shirt and carrying coloured sketch pens to write peace messages on each other’s T-shirts and the name of their countries.

‘The Directors’ Forum’ on the other hand, invited directors and leaders of various international groups to meet and share their experiences, to demonstrate their working methods and to report on the significance of Children’s theatre in their respective
countries.

While the acrobatics of Circ’ A Holix group from Germany won hearts, the theatrical performances by students from Iran and Turkey were a visual treat to be remembered till the next year!