Cultural centres, language training institutes shift to

In wake of the coronavirus pandemic, many foreign cultural centres and language training institutes here have shifted their events to the digital platform.

The British Council will discuss festival case studies at a webinar on March 27, while the Alliance Franaise du Bengale will organise two online demo classes of French language on March 28.

During the discussion on Festival Building and Management in India, participants from Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and the UK will talk about festival case studies at the webinar, a British Council spokesperson said.

The speakers would join the programme on the Zoom platform where they will present case studies of festivals they represent, discuss key points in the cultural festivals space, and take questions from an online audience, the spokesperson said.

Shifting to the digital mode in the present situation, Alliance Franaise du Bengale, a cultural centre and a French language training institute, will organise two online demo classes of French language from 4 pm on March 28.

"Fifteen students will attend each class from their homes," a spokesman said.

Due to the countrywide lockdown to halt the spread of the deadly virus, all events have been postponed till April 15 as per an advisory of the Central government, the spokesman said.

With the closure of Max Mueller Bhavan, which fosters Indo-German cooperation, one can register himself online for courses on modern art at Stadel Museum.

One can also read via the digital platform, works of classical and contemporary poets from all over the world and browse through 54 e books.

"In light of the rapidly evolving situation, the Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan Kolkata is entirely closed, including the library and caf. All classes, examinations, registrations for classes and examinations and programmes are postponed till further notice," the institute said in a statement.

Meanwhile, First Flea Edition II, a major lifestyle event exhibiting home decor, art work, food, costume under one roof, has been indefinitely postponed from its scheduled date of March 28, the organisers said.

"We decided to postpone the event because we cannot put anyone's life in danger. We hope to tide over this and come back stronger," they said.