‘The World is one family’: Students from around the world extend peace message at international culture festival


Date posted: May 10, 2016

A fusion of cultures was seen at the fourteenth edition of the International Festival of Language and Culture (IFLC) that was held in India for the very first time.

India, which is known for its varied languages, witnessed dance performances by warrior dancers from Georgia, who danced on the steps of mekhla-clad Bihu performers from Assam on the rhythms of the dhol.

This year, the theme of the International Festival of Languages and Colours (IFLC), which aims to spread the message of global peace and cultural harmony is “The World is one family” or “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”.

Details of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”:

  • As many as 400 students from 17 nations participated
  • The event started up with the songs on the theme of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’
  • At the end of the event, participants sang, danced and acted to build universal harmony and brotherhood
  • The event was attended by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal , Venkaiah Naidu (Minister of Parliamentary Affairs), Sushma Swaraj  (Minister of External Affairs), Mahesh Sharma (Minister of Tourism and Culture), Najma Heptullah (Minister of Minority Affairs) and others.
  • The mega programme was organised by a non-profit and nongovernmental organisation, the Educational Endowment Trust (EET) along with the Ministry of Culture and the UN Information Centre for India and Bhutan
  • Also, students represented their culture through various music and folk dances from countries like Belarus, India and Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Germany, Bulgaria, Kyrgyzstan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Tanzania, Tunisia, Ukraine, Georgia, Russia, Hungary and USA
  • While inaugurating the event, Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptullah said, “I am amassed to see the spirit of these young studentsâ?¦ in fact, they are the real emissaries of peace, who represents not a country or state, but the entire universe.”

Meanwhile, Abdul Malik from Tanzania said, “This is for the first time I have come to India and I wish to come here again.”

Previous year events:

  • In 2003, IFLC started with students participating from 17 countries
  • Last year, 145 countries participated with around 2000 candidates
  • In 2016, IFLC will be organised in 30 countries, in over 60 venues

At the event, Educational Endowment Trust president Ersin Karaoglan said, “IFLC plants a field of harmony and understanding between the people, no matter from which culture, language, and religion you are, but we have so many commonalities to share.”

Further, he added, “We believe that these ideas will be harvested in the future as friendship.”

Source: India Today , May 9, 2016

Tags: | | | | |


Related News

Fate of preparatory courses

Zaman’s Hüseyin Gülerce denied allegations that there is tension between the government and Hizmet movement due to government’s steps to bring an end to these preparatory courses, saying that Hizmet does not own all preparatory course schools in the country. What bothers members of Hizmet is that the government has not given a clear or reasonable explanation as to why they are taking these steps, Gülerce said.

Minister of Defense Yilmaz Visits Turkish School in Tokyo

Besides his official contacts on various levels in Japan, Turkish Minister of National Defense Ismet Yilmaz visited the Turkish-operated Jingumae International Exchange School located centrally in the capital Tokyo and was briefed on the school’s activities during his stay. Board President of Japan Horizon International Schools Mustafa Aslan and the school’s principal Kenan Ulu greeted […]

Gülen appeals for steadfastness against gov’t ban on prep schools [in Turkey]

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has asked his followers to be resolute and not yield to despair in the face of a government attempt to shut down private educational institutions [in Turkey] that assist students to prepare for high school and university admission examinations, which was interpreted as a major blow to the right to an education and to free enterprise in the EU-candidate country.

Senegalese deputies say Turkish schools taught them fraternity

A delegation of Senegalese deputies who visited a Turkish schools in Dakar expressed their with Turkish schools in the country saying that they taught them fraternity and charity.

Gulen-linked body condemns attempted Turkey coup

For more than 40 years, Fethullah Gulen and Hizmet participants have advocated for, and demonstrated their commitment to, peace and democracy. We have consistently denounced military interventions in domestic politics. These are core values of Hizmet participants. We condemn any military intervention in domestic politics of Turkey.

The letter that united America

74 members of the Senate, which has a total of 100 members, signed a document which contains strong language against the violations committed against democracy, human rights and especially the freedom of the press in Turkey.

Latest News

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

Erdoğan’s Civil Death Project’ : The ‘politicide’ spanning more than a decade

Fethullah Gülen’s Vision and the Purpose of Hizmet

In Case You Missed It

Another Victim of Erdogan’s Wrath

Prominent Alevi leader welcomes Gülen’s remarks on bridge controversy

Are politics and Hizmet from different walks of life?

Islamic scholar Gülen calls on praying for Palestinians, Syrians

Path of Prophet offers solutions to social ills

Government [in Turkey] replaces military in defamation tactics

Cultural diaspora

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News