August 14, 2019
Human Festival is the name of an inclusive art festival that will be
organised in Bengaluru on 15 August. The aim is to provide a platform for
people with and without disabilities to showcase their skills in art.
Organisers claim that this is going to be first of its kind inclusive event
in the city.
Independence Day is tomorrow and there are many programmes lined up in cities
across India to mark the day. Bengaluru is hosting something unique and that
is an inclusive art festival called Human Festival. Here
people with and without disabilities will come together to celebrate and
showcase their talents. The festival is being organised by city NGO
Smileys.
Dance, music, paintings, art installations, you name it and they have it at
the festival. Over the past few months, organisers have been working on
collecting recycled products to make art installations that will
be showcased at the event.
Abhishek S, who is the coordinator, promises a novel
experience.
This is an inclusive music and art festival organised to break stereotypes
about disabled community. People can join us and feel the atmosphere of a
village festival. We have also organised many inclusive games through which
fun elements are added. It helps to create awareness, and a person without
disability can put themselves in shoes of a disabled person to know their
everyday struggles and fight for survival.- Abhishek S, Festival
Coordinator.
There will be workshops to promote sign language as well, important given the
shortage of interpreters. “In India, there might be hardly 250 sign language
interpreters which is just two per cent of the total deaf community. Deaf
people face a lot of challenges at work places and in everyday lives too. So
we want to spread an awareness message. That is why we are holding
workshops”, says Abhishek.
Smileys has partnered with many other NGOs including Know Your Indian
Roots and Support Vitiligo to organise the
festival. ‘Calligraphy workshops are also planned where people
with and without disabilities will be provided an open stage to perform. Do
you think you have the talent to sing, dance, play an instrument or draw?
Then look no further. This live stage is the ideal platform to
showcase your skills in front of a crowd. Abhishek points out that they
already have 50 registrations for the open stage.
“We request everyone to attend the event along with your friends and family
because it is a great platform to know and closely interact with disabled
people”, adds Abhishek.
The organisers expect at least 600 people to participate in the
event and registration is for free. The event will be held at
Bangalore Sante right below Vivekananda Metro Station at Old
Madras Road. After a flag hoisting and formal inauguration, ‘Human Festival’
will begin at 10 AM.
Vishnu Soman, Founder, Smileys says that art unites all and
that is the reason for them to choose a music and art festival to celebrate
this Independence Day.
“On 15 August, we celebrate freedom together as a nation. India’s uniqueness
lies in its diversity. Unless there are initiatives to free people with
disabilities, we cannot say that we are 100% diverse. They are the biggest
minority in our era, and we must all take steps towards an inclusive
society”.
Important things to think about on Independence Day.
Contact organisers at +91 97390-17384.
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