Confluence – Bringing the best of Indian culture to Australia

By Neeru Saluja

“Two countries, Two Cultures, Seven Cities, One Festival”– Confluence, the festival of India in Australia had it’s official media launch at the Australian National Maritime Museum on 26 July. Travelling over seven cities from August till November 2016, this will be Australia’s most significant showcase of Indian arts and culture.

Led by His Excellency Mr Navdeep Suri, the High Commissioner of India in Australia, the national media launch in Sydney focussed on the collaboration between Indian and Australian artists and creators. The festival program ranges from world class dance performances, theatre, music to workshops on politics and sports.

   

“Our key aspect of the festival is the collaboration between Australia and India via the culture and artists. This festival is not about making money. Wherever possible, the events and venues are free and we have tried to make the events affordable. We are aiming to reach to the widest audience through this festival. If you go to the Opera House to see Romeo and Juliet, we expect you to watch the Indian version of Twelfth Night. If you are a music lover, this is your chance to listen to the sufi music from Sonam Kalra. India is a diverse country. We speak in many languages and present many cultures. Because of that, we want to portray the different forms of culture and arts from India,” announced His Excellency Mr Navdeep Suri.

The event was well attended by Indian and Australian media personalities. James Valentine, ABC 702 presenter was the MC for the event. The event attendees were also entertained by a live jam session by Maharishi Raval on the tabla and Trevor Brown on the saxophone.

Confluence is produced in partnership with the Indian Government, the High Commission of India in Australia and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. With support from the Australian Government Department of Communication and Arts, the event is managed by Gandhi Creations.

The festival events are scheduled in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, Perth, Alice Springs and Adelaide. To access the full program, go to the website  confluencefoi.com.