Logo launched for Festival of India in China

The ministry of culture Thursday launched a colourful logo made by putting together the face of a Kathakali dancer and a Beijing opera mask for a year-long Indian cultural celebration in China to foster ties between the two nations.

As 2014 has been declared the "Year of Friendship and Exchange for India and China", the year-long "Festival of India in China" will begin in May.

"This mutual understanding was reached during the visit of the Chinese premier Li Keqiang to India in May 2013 and that of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to China in October 2013," Ravindra Singh, secretary, ministry of culture, said in a statement.

"The year 2014 was designated as the India-China year of friendly exchanges. As part of this, the ministry of culture in collaboration with the ministry of external affairs and the embassy of India in Beijing, along with the consulates in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong, are organising it (the festival) in 12 cities in China," he added.

A 75-member Indian delegation, led by Ravindra Singh, would be visiting China in the first two circuits beginning May 7.

The festival will showcase Indian performing arts, exhibitions of modern Indian art, visual and photographic exhibitions on Buddhist heritage of India and its links with China, food festivals and film festivals as well as events involving Indian and Chinese scholars and writers.

The festival will be celebrated in four circuits.

"Circuit one will cover Shanghai, Hong Kong, Beijing and Chengdu and the second circuit will cover Beijing, Kunming, Dali and Shenzen," the statement said.

"The third circuit will cover Lhasa, Urumqui and Hangzhou and the fourth one will cover Chongquing, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou," it added.

Two posters for circuit one and circuit two were also launched. The ministry has also created a dedicated webpage for the festival.