Post news network
Bhubaneswar, Nov 14: The three-day annual children’s festival ‘Suravi’ by the state school and mass education department has kicked off at boys’ high school near Unit IX here Monday. More than 2,000 students along with delegates from the 30 districts of the state are participating in this function.
The function was initiated with a bicycle rally from Forest Park square to the school premises. Around 600 students from different educational institutions participated in the rally.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the programme and exhorted the students to work for the betterment of the country. “Along with education, children need to be active in various co-curricular activities. I hope the festival would help them to expand their imagination,” the chief minister addressed to the students on the occasion.
School and mass education minster Debi Prasad Mishra said, “Over the years, Suravi has become a major festival for children of the state. It has become an important event to bring out the talents of the school children through various competitions. Apart from art and craft events, students are engaged in various intellectual activities.” He added that the number of girls participants was more this year.
Speaking about hygiene, Yumi Bae from UNICEF urged the participants to develop the habit of cleaning their hands before eating.
Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena and, MLAs Priyadarshi Mishra and Vijay Mohanty were other dignitaries who spoke at the function.
A number of literary and cultural contests on essay writing, slogan writing, poetry recitation, dance and skit are planned to be organised in the next two days.
Around 13 stalls are set up on the school premises where workshops on balloon art, paper art, crafts from waste materials and storytelling are organised. A book exhibition for children organised by National Book Trust of India is also attracting lots of kids.
In another event, the 15th edition of the five-day Anjali International Children’s Festival by Swabhiman has also begun at Adivasi Ground Monday.
On the first day, a carnival was held in the morning where more than 1,500 kids along with the volunteers from across the country and state took part. The carnival was flagged off by Oriya actor Sabyasachi Mishra and Doctor Biren Sahoo.
The five-day festival has a series of workshops on art, craft and photography. Cultural competitions and musical programmes for the differently abled children are also going to be organised. The programme was inaugurated by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Former chief secretary G C Pati and Major General B K Mohapatra were also present on the occasion.
