Preparation for World Culture Festival in full swing in Washington

Washington: Preparations are in full swing for the fourth edition of the World Culture Festival at the prestigious National Mall here where thousands of people from more than 100 countries are to gather in a unique and historic display of diversity in unity of the world cultures, festivities and food sending one message “Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam”.

“It's a great moment. It's one of those moments that comes in histories where events change, bring about a change, and this is one such event,” Madhu Kadari, World Culture Festival steering committee member told PTI in an interview at the National Mall, where one of the biggest stages in recent history overlooking the US Capitol and the historic monument came up Wednesday.

The most prestigious place in the American Capitol, the lawns between Capitol Hill and the National Monument, is normally reserved for events like the presidential inauguration that attracts hundreds and thousands of people from across the country. The organisers of the event said that nearly half a million people from over 100 countries have registered for the three-day event beginning October 29.

Inspired by India's spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravishankar, this could be probably the first time that an event of this magnitude could see representation from more than 100 countries.

People from across the world have started coming in, and almost all the hotels in the city are overbooked. Hundreds of workers and volunteers were seen finishing up the stage and preparing the ground for the mega event. Huge television screens at multiple places on the National Mall came up.

Several roads have been blocked, and security has been tightened. Mounted police on horses were seen patrolling the area.

“This is a unique event that brings together all the cultures of the world with the message and mission of unity, togetherness and oneness,” Jain spiritual leader Acharya Lokesh Muni told PTI as he arrived in the US capital from India to participate in the three day-mega events.

All credit goes to the visionary leadership of Sri Sri Ravishankar, he said.

The event becomes all the more relevant at a time when there is a rise in social and religious intolerance across the world.

More than 17,000 diverse cultural artists, entertainers and speakers, from over 100 countries will perform during the World Culture Festival. The previous three editions of the World Culture Festival were held in Bangalore, Berlin and New Delhi.

Hundreds of volunteers of Art of Living have been working on making the event a success.

In addition to 80 food trucks representing the food diversity from various countries, a group of volunteers have been preparing snacks for the participants. This includes tea and samosa.

“We have set up five food tents here. It's big. We are super excited...getting goosebumps all over talking about this,” said volunteer Madhuri, a test engineer from California.

Over 1,000 leaders from business, government and international institutions attending the festival will gather for the Global Leadership Forum (GLF) on September 30. The attendees will exchange ideas and forge partnerships to address key corporate and societal challenges of our time, they said.

The theme of this year's GLF is ''Shaping a Humane Future''.

Among prominent leaders to attend and address the World Culture Festival are former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, President of Mauritius Prithvirajsing Roopun, former Indian president Ram Nath Kovind, former president of Ecuador Rosalía Arteaga Serrano, ex-Norway prime minister Kjell Magne Bondevik, former Mongolian president Nambaryn Enkhbayar and former president of Paraguay Federico Franco, among others.