KOCHI: The 39th edition of the Cochin Carnival began on Sunday with the peace and solidarity ceremony. Inspired by the ‘UN International Year of Peace’, the Ceremony of Peace and Solidarity takes place on the second Sunday of December every year as a prelude to the Cochin Carnival celebrations. The ceremony has been going on for the past 38 years.
“It is celebration time in Old Cochin. Thousands who are out-of-station come home to celebrate Christmas and New Year. Cochin Carnival gives form and substance to their festivities,” said an organiser of the event.
At the solidarity ceremony, people from all walks of life and representatives of various socio-cultural organisations joined the men in uniform (Indian Navy), ex-servicemen, various wings of the civil administration and local self-government bodies to remember those who made the supreme sacrifice for the country’s defence.
“Each year, the next-of-kin of those who laid down their lives in the defence of our country are specially invited. The programme began at 9am and concluded by 9:30am on Sunday.