The WINGS initiative was announced yesterday (05) at a joint press conference by the organisers: the National Arts Council, the Office Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR), CARE International and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The WINGS festival is being supported through the financial contribution made by the EU to its implementing partners GIZ and CARE Intl.

The WINGS festival is being supported through the financial contribution made by the EU to its implementing partners GIZ and CARE Intl. The financial support provided by the EU is for the duration of three years and has a total budget of EUR 1.7 million (280 million rupees)”.

The regional festivals in the North and East in October will be followed by an academic conference and a cultural festival to be held in Colombo in November.

The festivals

Kilinochchi (October 21-23) : Kilinochchi Central College and Kilinochchi Co-Operative Hall.

Ampara (October 27-29) : Swami Vipulananda Institute of Aesthetic Studies (SVIAS) of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka.

Colombo (November 7-10) : BMICH

The regional events will include short film screenings, folk art & forum theatre performances, book readings, stage plays and discussions by artists, performers and experts.

The cultural festival in Colombo will feature presentations and panel discussions on the theme of “Arts and Reconciliation, an academic conference, dance drama and theatre performances, visual art and short films from around the country.

as well as an open air food fair at Green Path from Nov. 11

The organisers expressed the hope that Sri Lankans will attend the public events in large numbers and share in the festive mood.

The official website of Wings - www.wingssrilanka.com was also launched at yesterday's press event.

Representatives of the institutions involved in the organising as well as artistes attended the event.

(Shani)