Aiming to promote art and culture of different states in the national capital, Delhi government has decided to increase participation of local artists in regional festivals.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday, July 20, said that special events will also be organised to teach children the languages of other states, according to the report by The New Indian Express.
According to the chief minister, the concerned department must take its initiatives beyond designated locations and bring them to the general public to enhance public participation. She directed officials to ensure that regional festivals celebrated in Delhi include artists from the respective states, as this would help generate greater public interest in these events.
The chief minister also stated that efforts will be made to explore possibilities for teaching non-Hindi languages to children in Delhi, enabling them to understand the social and cultural identities of other states. She chaired a special meeting with the Department of Art, Culture and Languages.
The objective of the meeting was to enrich Delhi's cultural landscape and to involve all sections of society in cultural activities. The chief minister noted that while the Department of Art, Culture and Languages has long promoted Delhi's cultural heritage, its reach must now be expanded.
She called for events such as women's art exhibitions, artist camps, music and dance festivals, theatre performances, and religious celebrations like Chhath Puja and Durga Puja to be organised across the city to increase public participation.
Highlighting Delhi's diverse population, she emphasised the growing celebration of regional festivals and directed officials to involve artists from different states in these events.
"Delhi is not merely the capital city but also a reflection of the country's cultural identity," she said. "We want the art and culture of various states to reach every street and for every individual to feel connected to it." She added that theatre and folk arts are powerful tools for spreading awareness and information, often more effectively than other forms of communication, according to the report by The New Indian Express.
She reiterated the government's vision for children in Delhi to learn the languages of other states so they can better understand the traditions and cultures of those regions. She instructed officials to prepare a detailed report to support the promotion of India's diverse languages in the capital.
The chief minister also proposed launching a Student Exchange Programme with students from other states. This, she said, would give children the opportunity to learn about different cultures and lifestyles, and help foster mutual understanding and harmony. Such an initiative, she added, would significantly strengthen the nation's unity in diversity.
She further noted that the department regularly organises painting competitions and has collected a number of artworks through these events. She directed officials to display these paintings at the Delhi Secretariat and in other government offices.
