DEHRADUN: Nestled amid the natural beauty of Dehradun’s Thano, the country’s first Writer’s Village is preparing to become a meeting ground for languages, ideas and cultures at a five-day international festival from October 25 to 29.
Through 32 sessions, writers, students and Hindi enthusiasts from 60 countries will come together, the festival will celebrate the enduring power of literature, the richness of Indian traditions and the role of art and education in shaping a more connected world.
The sessions will be on literature, culture, art, education, women’s empowerment and other issues, besides cultural programmes showcasing Uttarakhand’s folk traditions.
Announcing the festival at a press conference at a hotel in Rispana on Friday, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and former Union Education minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said literature played a vital role in preserving and nurturing human sensitivity.
“When human sensitivity disappears, a person loses their human identity and becomes like stone,” he said.
Nishank said Writer’s Village aimed to bring creative people from across the world together through literature, culture, art and nature. The initiative seeks to promote India’s knowledge traditions and the ideals of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family) and Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah (may all be happy) on a global platform.
He said culture helped preserve values and that staying connected with one’s roots strengthened a person’s commitment to family, society and humanity.
Writer’s Village director Vidushi Nishank said the festival would encourage discussions and creative exchanges on literature, art, tradition, innovation and youth participation, with people from different age groups and countries taking part.
She said the initiative also aimed to promote creativity and education in Uttarakhand, encouraging young people to contribute to development in their villages rather than migrate to cities or leave the state in search of opportunities.
Union Ministers, the Governor, the Chief Minister and State Cabinet Ministers are expected to attend the event, she added.
