The first ever Jammu Kashmir Festival will be celebrated in the UK from Friday, 21st October to 26th October 2016 and hopes to celebrate cultural diversity, promote participation, inclusivity and spread the message of peace and goodwill. The crowning glory of India, Jammu Kashmir has seen years of turbulence and ongoing unrest owing to the insurgency from its neighbours, resulting in the forced exodus of its native population, the Kashmiri Pandits.
The current Indian government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has shown huge commitment to tackling this conflict and bringing to the people of Jammu Kashmir, a stable and prosperous abode. A small group of like-minded individuals, originally from Jammu Kashmir, India, now living in the UK have taken it upon themselves to tackle the skewed perception of this beautiful state with an immense potential for growth and investment opportunities.
Jammu Kashmir Festival is the first ever attempt to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the state and its pluralistic, varied cultural diversity to the British people. The week-long festival will see the participation of regional artistes, politicians, businesses and volunteers from the state of Jammu Kashmir and other parts of India. The programme will include cultural performances by Natrang Music and Dance repertory, Dogra Martial arts tradition showcase by National Army Museum, a talk by Dr Andrew Kerr on the role of Dogra regiment in the World Wars, a Food Festival and an Exhibition featuring promotional videos, posters, photographs, costumes and artefacts at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, London.
There will also be a Business Round Table in association with the Confederation of Indian Industries exploring the “Business Potential and Emerging Opportunities in the state of Jammu Kashmir” at the Houses of Parliament. For more information please see: www.jammukashmirfestival.org.
