ALKHOBAR, 24 September 2006 — A 75-day annual Soorya Festival kicked off in Trivandrum on Thursday, according to Refeek Younus, president of Orion Sargam and Sargam Cultural Association, which is the Saudi Arabian chapter of Soorya. “The Limca Book of Records says Soorya is the longest-running cultural festival in the world,” he said.
Soorya has 22 chapters around the world. More than 1,000 well-known artists, dancers and other performers will participate in this year’s festival, which includes feature films, documentaries, classical music and dance, workshops, folklore, drama, choreography, handicrafts, storytelling, poetry recitation and a book fair, Younus told Arab News.
Orion Sargam, an NRI outfit formed by 25 members of Sargam Cultural Association, works to promote tourism in and culture of Kerala. It has established a multicultural center in Cochin, facing the tranquil backwaters of Vembanatukayal, in order to provide a suitable venue for artists, researchers and tourists to gather and get acquainted with the culture and arts of Kerala.
