World Culture Festival 2016
People sit on the steps of a stage at the venue of World Culture Festival on the banks of the Yamuna river in New Delhi, India days before the event begins. REUTERS/Anindito Mukherjee

The World Culture Festival 2016 is due to kick off in India's capital of New Delhi on 11 March, bringing together nearly 3.5 million people from around the world. The three-day festival is being hosted across 1000 acres of land and is said to be one of the biggest cultural gatherings in recent times.

A number of world leaders are expected to attend the event, including President Bidhya Devi Bhandari of Nepal and President Maithripala Sirisena of Sri Lanka. Vice president of the European Parliament, Ryszard Czarnecki, and former Prime Minister of France Dominique de Villepin, are also due to attend the cultural event. The event is being hosted by the Art of Living, a non-profit organisation based in India that was started by the world famous philanthropist Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

Bhanumati Narsimhan, director of the Art of Living, said: "In an era when people wonder what to do about terrorism and violence, the festival wants to state that there are good people in the world. We should not lose heart either to terrorism, or on an individual level, to stress."

IBTimes UK brings you the full schedule of events taking place for the Art of Living's three-day event. (for all times in GMT + 5hr 30mins)

Friday, 11 March 2016

5pm to 5.15pm

  • Welcoming the Dignitaries on stage
  • Invocation by Chandrika Tandon and troupe
  • Lighting of the lamp of celebration
  • Honouring dignitaries from around the globe
  • Vedic chants by 1,000 Veda pandits

5.15pm to 5.35pm

  • Welcome address by Justice RC Lahoti
  • Presentation on Art of Living's 35-year journey

5.35pm to 5.45pm

  • Address by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of the Art of Living

5.45pm to 6.10pm

  • The Art of Living Grand Symphony
  • Release of the Commemorative Souvenir
  • Kathak Emsemble

6.10pm to 6.50pm

  • Address by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi

6.50pm to 8.30pm

  • Bharatnatyam Ensemble
  • Addresses by Dignitaries
  • Horo Dance from Bulgaria
  • African Beats
  • Mohiniyattam and Kathakali
  • Whirling Dervishes
  • Awa Odori from Japan

8.30pm to 8.40pm

  • Guided meditation conducted by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

8.40pm to 9pm

  • Addresses by Dignitaries
  • Lithuanian Dance
  • Brazilian Samba
  • Russian Dance
  • A Tribute
  • Himachali Nati
  • Thai Dance
  • Gujarati Garba Dance

9pm to 9.10pm

  • The Art of Living Grand Symphony

Saturday, 12 March 2016

6am to 7.30am

  • Yoga and Meditation

8am to 3pm

  • Global Leadership Forum

Highlights include: Former Prime Minister of France Dominique de Villepin, Arnab Goswami, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

5pm to 5.20pm

  • Welcoming the Dignitaries on stage
  • Lighting the lamp of celebration
  • Honouring dignitaries and the spiritual and religious leaders from around the globe
  • Vedic chants by 1,000 Veda Pandits
  • Guru Puja Chanting

5.30pm to 5.50pm

  • Address by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
  • Guided meditation conducted by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

5.50pm to 6.50pm

  • The Art of Living Grand Symphony
  • Nadaswaram
  • Address by Dignataries
  • Blessings and Greetings by Religious and Spiritual Leaders
  • Oddisi Ensemble

6.50pm to 7.50pm

  • Latin fire for Peace
  • Pathni Folk Dance
  • Filipino Dance
  • Addresses by Dignitaties
  • Blessings and Greetings by Religious and Spiritual Leaders
  • Maruni Dance
  • Russian Dance
  • Kathi Folk Dance
  • Haryanavi Dance
  • Belarussian Dance

7.50pm to 8pm

  • The Art of Living Grand Symphony

8pm to 9pm

  • Address by Dignitaries
  • Blessings and Greetings by Religious and Spiritual Leaders
  • Dhangari Dhol Performance
  • Glow of the Earth
  • Showcase of the Alpine Horns

8pm to 9pm

  • Middle East Performance
  • Chinese Song
  • Hungarian Dance
  • Punjabi Bhangra

Sunday, 13 March 2016

6am to 7am

  • Yoga and Meditation

8am to 3pm

  • Global Leadership Forum

Highlights include: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Sir Richdard Branson, Kiran Bedi

5pm to 5.30pm

  • Welcoming the Dignitaries on stage
  • Invocation by Smt. Bhanumathi Narasimhan, director of Women and Child Welfare Programs at the Art of Living
  • Lighting of the lamp of peace
  • Address by Dignitaries

5.20pm to 5.30pm

  • The Art of Living Grand Symphony

5.30pm to 6.30pm

  • Argentine Tango
  • Assamese Bihu
  • Address by Dignitaries
  • Kandyan Dance

6.30pm to 6.40pm

  • National Anthem of India

6.40pm to 7pm

  • Address by President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee (IBTimes UK understands that President Mukherjee has now cancelled his appearance at the event)

7pm to 7.25pm

  • Address by Shri Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
  • Guided meditation conducted by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

7.25pm to 8.30pm

  • Rabindra Sangeet
  • Kuchipudi
  • Address by Dignitaries
  • Rajasthani Ghoomar
  • Mongolian Dance
  • Nepalese Dance
  • Hip Hop
  • Sufi Fusion
  • Indonesian Dance
  • Cheer Dance

8.35pm to 9pm

  • Cosmic Rhythm
  • Vande Mataram (National song of India)
More about the World Culture Festival 2016