The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights will organise a festival to exhibit the talents of children living in child care institutions in the State.
The two-day ‘Fest of Happiness–a message to society’ will kick off at Nishagandhi auditorium on the Kanakakkunnu palace premises here on Sunday.
There were 9,893 children living in 627 care institutions in the State, commission chairperson K.V. Manoj Kumar said at a press meet on Saturday.
Twenty such children from each district who have displayed exceptional talent in various areas will participate in the fest, organised to promote their talents. The fete is also intended to create awareness of the protection of children, their physical and mental development, and boost their abilities.
Mr. Manoj Kumar said children living in child-care institutions should be living in a family environment like other children as institutionalisation was the last resort as per law. However, such children faced a number of problems for various reasons. The festival would bring them into the mainstream, help make the care institutions more child-friendly, and make child-friendly initiatives of the home authorities more effective.
Minister for Local Self-government M.V. Govindan will inaugurate the fete at 10.30 a.m. on Saturday. V.K. Prasanth, MLA, will preside. Magician Gopinath Muthukad, anchor and quizmaster G.S. Pradeep, and other prominent personalities will interact with the children that day.
On Monday, Mayor Arya Rajendran and former Chief Secretary K. Jayakumar will interact with the children in the morning. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the valedictory of the fete at 3.30 p.m. on Monday. Minister for Health Veena George will preside.
Mr. Manoj Kumar said stalls would be arranged at Nishangandhi for the children from each district to exhibit their paintings and other talents to the public. A stall of children from the capital-based Different Arts Centre too would be arranged. The Different Arts Centre children would also interact with children from the care institutions.
