THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Set to be the biggest initiative to celebrate the state’s unique features and to showcase the Kerala model of development before the world, Keraleeyam 2023 got off to an exhilarating start in the state capital on Wednesday. On its 68th foundation day, the state launched a comprehensive mission ‘Keraleeyam’ to showcase its achievements over the last six decades with the objective of shaping the state for its journey towards a New Keralam.
Inaugurating the star-studded event at Central Stadium, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Keraleeyam is an opportunity to take pride in the real essence of Kerala and to shout it out to the world. He also vowed to make Kerala a global brand. Held in the presence of writer T Padmanabhan, actors Kamal Haasan, Mammootty, Mohanlal, and Sobhana, ambassadors of UAE, South Korea, Norway and Cuba, businessmen Yusuf Ali and Ravi Pillai, the event had a slew of socio-cultural icons including Nobel laureate Amartya Sen and historian Romila Thapar offering felicitations online.
The chief minister said Keraleeyam will be celebrated every year in the state. He said Kerala has left its indelible mark in all sectors, but sadly the achievements are not fully recognized. The feats could not be properly showcased before the world and that needs to change. Hence Keraleeyam sequences will be held in the coming years as well, he said.
Elaborating state’s religious harmony and coexistence between various religious communities, Pinarayi said the message of Onam lies in celebrating the return of Mahabli who was once trampled down. “We celebrate Onam, Christmas and Bakrid with one mind and are a model before the world in preserving secular values. There will be a period before and after Keraleeyam as far as the state is concerned. Although some people propagate that the state is not investment friendly, Kerala is one among the states where there are no lockouts and dismissal of labourers and employees,” he added.
He said when the world is grappling with ethnic strife, the state’s peculiarities and the legacy of the organisations that spearheaded the Renaissance will be keenly watched. “We have here in Kerala a miniature of the global humanity,” he added.
Speaking on his journey to becoming a politician from a film star, Kamal Haasan said whenever he had to take a critical decision he turned towards Kerala for an example. Actor Shobana asked the Malayalee audience to accept her as a Malayalee since she was born in Thiruvananthapuram. “People here are treating me as a ‘Tamizhathi’ since I had acted in the film Manichitrathazhu,” she said. Mammootty reminded people that everyone is watching Kerala with pride because of the unity among people. Actor Mohanlal also spoke about the oneness of Keralites.
Ambassador of Norway May-Elin Stener, The Third Secretary of Cuba embassy Malena Rojas Medina, ambassador of South Korea Chang Jae-bok, and UAE ambassador Abdulnasser Jamal Alshaali also spoke. ISRO chairman S Somanath, Adv K M Venugopal, Carnatic musician T M Krishna, and Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan greeted the event through their messages.
Keraleeyam will have 42 venues between Kowdiar and East Fort where various events will be held. A total of 25 seminars on important topics will be conducted between 9.30 am and 1.30 pm from November 2 to 6. Over 200 experts will speak at the seminars.
Cultural programmes will be held in the evenings. Over 300 art programmes will be performed at 30 venues which will be attended by 4,100 artists. In addition, there will be exhibitions, trade fairs and food fests from 10 am to 10 pm. As many as 25 exhibitions will be conducted on the stretch between Kowdiar and East Fort. Eight major exhibitions will be held at Kanakakkunnu, Tagore Theatre, University College, Ayyankali Hall, Central Stadium and Putharikandam Maidan.