Staff Reporter GUWAHATI: Aiming at enabling the future of festivals in India and to provide Indias festival sector professionals an opportunity to work in a more open and global environment and learn from their global counterpart, the national initiative of British Councils Festivals Academy inaugurated in Guwahati. It is one of the two primary strands of “festivals for the Future” which focuses on supporting the long-term development and economic empowerment of Indias emerging festivals sector. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Debanjan Chakrabarti, Director East and Northeast India, British Council said, “We are delighted to launch British Council Indias national programme Festivals Academy programme here in Guwahati, in partnership with the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Assam. In the last three years, we have strengthened our programme offer in the Northeast in culture and education, made them more sustained and sustainable. It is appropriate that 24 participants from nine states across India are here in Guwahati to take part in the first Festivals Academy programme. A part of the Festivals for the Future programme, this initiative will connect and support the professionalization of the burgeoning festivals sector in India and the UK. There are over 150 festivals in the UK and in India and the creative industries have grown by 18 per cent since 2017. This underlines the economic and employment opportunities in this vibrant sector.” The Festivals Academy includes three levels the Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. The Beginners course is being organized in Guwahati that has started from September 9 and will continue till September 12, which will train 24 participants from across the country. Present in the occasion Madhurima Baruah Sen, Secretary, Cultural Affairs Department, Government of Assam welcomed the programme that has been launched in Guwahati. The other dignitaries include Jonathan Kennedy, Director Arts India, British Council and David Micklem, Angela McSherry, arts producer and former executive Director, London International Festival of theatre. Also Read: British Council India Invites Projects From India And UK Also Watch: Wood-laden truck was seized near National Highway 31 in Bijni

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