KOCHI: Kerala Tourism and Manchester City, England, will start a long-term cultural exchange programme with Kerala winning the gold award in responsible tourism at the World Travel Mart.
Candida Boyes, creative director of Manchester Day celebrations, has held discussions with Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran and culture secretary Rani George in this regard. The programme will be inaugurated during the Manchester Day celebrations during June 2019, the minister said in a Facebook message.
The collaboration has been made possible due to the intervention of the Manchester Malayalee Association, he said. “Boyes is in Kerala to select artists for the Manchester Day celebrations and to see whether a cultural exchange programme is possible, as part of the responsible tourism initiative,” Surendran said. The minister said he assured her all support from the government expressing his hope in the collaboration which will prove beneficial for cultural activities and tourism in Kerala.
Boyes visited Kasargod, Kochi and Vaikom to meet artists. The lion’s share of the funds required for the project will be spent by Manchester City Council, Walk the Plank and Arts Council England.