Confluence of cultures at 14th edition of IFLC

Women engaged in the traditional Bihu dance (File Photo: dsyw.assam.gov.in)
Women engaged in the traditional Bihu dance (File Photo: dsyw.assam.gov.in)


Date posted: May 10, 2016

It was indeed a confluence of cultures when the warrior dancers from Georgia matched steps with mekhla clad Bihu performers from Assam twirling on the rhythms of the dhol, at the 14th edition of the International Festival of Language and Culture (IFLC) here last evening.

The festival, which has been in vogue for the last 14 years debuted in India this year to witness students from 17 countries come together and celebrate the diversity of language through the medium of song and dance.

The three-hour-long event began with a slew of songs that professed the idea of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – the world is one family’ as students donning traditional attires of their respective countries swayed in unison, with the virtues of kindness, friendship, equality, peace etc flashing in the background.

Organised by city-based non-profit and nongovernmental organisation, The Educational Endowment Trust (EET) in association with the Ministry of Culture and the UN Information Centre for India and Bhutan, the event was hosted at the Talkatora stadium here.

“IFLC is a platform which aims at sowing the seeds of harmony and understanding among the people no matter which culture, creed or religion you belong to. We believe that we are all brothers and sisters in humanity. We believe that these ideas will be harvested in the future for friendship and peace,” Ersin Karaoglan, President, EET, said.

Karaoglan said that the 43 visiting students along with over 400 students from across Delhi schools, had rehearsed over a period of 8 months to present the colourful cultural evening.

“They are visiting historical sites of India and being hosted by Indian families, thereby experiencing the warmth of Indian hospitality. They will hopefully be the goodwill ambassadors of Indian culture in their respective countries,” Karaoglan said.

On Sunday they will be visiting the Taj Mahal in Agra.

Minister of Minority Affairs, Najma Heptullah, welcomed the initiative saying that there was nothing better than culture that united us and that the event reflected the message of ‘Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam’ in the true sense.

“I welcome this initiative. Today, we have gathered here with a message of unity and peace, and I believe that the message of Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam is being emanated from here in the true sense.

“We might have different religions but this diversity is only in language. Our cultures are same. We are united in one word that we are all Indians,” she said.

They evening progressed as students from each country presented their distinctive songs from their countries as Indian students shook a leg to match the tunes. A selection of ethnic dances from different countries and different regions of India were also a part of the event.

The participating countries included Azerbaijan, Belarus Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Germany, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Tanzania, Tunisia, Ukraine, Hungary, US, Gerogia and Russia.

The first edition of the festival was hosted by Turkey in 2003, and the participation has increased exponentially since its inception. Nearly 2000 students attended the IFLC festival held in 145 countries last year.

The earlier editions of the festival held in Indonesia, Morocco and Australia, had also seen similar active participation of Indian students.

Source: The Statesman , May 08, 2016


Related News

Fear Grows in Turkey as Crackdown on Gulen Followers Continues

The Turkish authorities are continuing their crackdown on followers of Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is being blamed for a failed military coup attempt. With tens of thousands of people arrested, opposition parties are starting to voice concern that the crackdown is turning into a witch hunt.

What a plot attempts to tell

The film “Birleşen Gönüller” (The Converging Hearts) was released to Turkish audiences on Friday. The film is based on a true story that begins in the Soviet Union during the years of World War II and reaches Central Asia in the 1990s.

Bangladesh’s Turkish school student becomes first in world math exam

Mostafa, who was up against nine million students from 110 nations, became first in Edexcel IGCSE exam. Mostafa is a 10th grade student from Bangladesh’s International Hope Turkish School and he received his award from Bangladesh’s London ambassador.

Fethullah Gulen Cited among Watkins’ 2019 the Most Spiritually Influential 100 Living People

There are several factors that were taken into account when compiling the list. The person has to have made a unique and spiritual contribution on a global scale, has to be alive, is frequently googled, appears in Nielsen Data, has a Wikipedia page, and is actively talked about throughout the Internet. This list is meant to celebrate the positive influence of today’s spiritual teachers.

Lawyers confirm: Turkish teachers are still in Kosovo

Lawyers representing six Turkish teachers who were arrested in Kosovo on Thursday, have released a written statement in which they confirmed that the teachers have not been deported to Turkey yet.

Turkish schools important for northern Iraq’s future

ALİHAN HASANOĞLU , ARBIL Dlawer Abdul-Aziz Ala’Aldeen, minister of higher education of the Kurdish Regional Administration in northern Iraq, has expressed appreciation for Turkish schools in the region, explaining that they have helped improve economic, trade and political relations between Turks and the region. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the construction of a campus […]

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

Palauan President: We would like to participate in Turkish Language Olympics

ACDC Builds Clean Water Well in Benin!

Gülen’s Lawyer Albayrak: Evidence fabricated to lay psychological ground for legal case

Public Enemy No. 1: A Visit with Fethullah Gülen, Erdogan’s Chief Adversary

OIC head says he has always endorsed Turkish schools abroad

EU and Turkey’s rights abuse

Mysterious visitors to holdings

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News