Music concert, movies at Indian fest in Slovenia

Ljubljana (Slovenia): Music concerts, photo exhibition and Indian film shows will be part of a festival organised by the Indian embassy here to increase the visibility and awareness of India in Slovenia, a country of just two million people in central Europe.

The "Days of India in Slovenia" festival, Jan 18-30, has been supported by the external affairs ministry, the RTA agency of Slovenia as well as the government, municipalities and universities of the country. The extravaganza will include concerts of carnatic, classical and jazz music by Prasanna and Slovene musicians in the cities of Ljubljana and Celje, a photo exhibition on the life of Mahatma Gandhi, initiation of Indian film clubs by Slovene universities at Koper, Ljubljana and Maribor and celebration of India`s Republic Day. Public lectures on India`s Nobel-laureate Rabindranath Tagore will also feature during the event, Indian ambassador Sarvajit Chakravarti said. The festival will conclude with solemn commemoration of Martyr`s Day by laying wreaths at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the city of Slovenj Gradec, followed by a public lecture on Mahatma Gandhi by eminent Slovene author Evald Flisar and performances based on some of Gandhi`s favourite music by school bands. The embassy proposes to organise the festival annually in the same period of January to bring the two nations closer.