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| (Image Source: The Manila Times/Seher India) |
The ASEAN-India Music Festival (AIMF), an initiative that aims to present the richness and diversity of each participating country’s musical heritage, has officially announced its comeback this year. With its mission of igniting appreciation and awareness of India’s cultural affinity with ASEAN countries, this year’s edition will take place at the iconic Purana Qila in New Delhi, India on November 29-December 1, 2024 which serves as an “incredible showcase of unity through music and culture", celebrating 10 years of Act East Policy. The festival aligns with the decisions made at the 21st ASEAN India Summit and highlights India’s comprehensive strategic partnership with ASEAN, particularly in the cultural domain.
This year's ASEAN-India Music Festival will feature performances by bands from ASEAN countries and top Indian music sensations such as Shaan, Jasleen Royal, Sukriti Prakriti, and Raghu Dixit. The event is organized by the Ministry of External Affairs and Seher, India’s premier cultural organization known for producing large-scale events in India and abroad particularly in the fields of music, dance, visual arts, theater, and cinema. Seher's Founding Director Sanjeev Bhargava shares that this year’s ASEAN-India Music Festival promises to live up to the expectations of the global audience while upholding its top-notch programming with a carefully selected lineup of performers. He explains, “The third edition of the ASEAN India Music Festival is a celebration of a decade of India’s ‘Act East Policy'. The festival brings together diverse musical traditions and promotes a deeper cultural bond between India and ASEAN. With new initiatives like international performances and educational collaborations, we aim to take the cultural exchange to a new level. The new addition to this 3rd edition of ASEAN-India Music Festival is a one-day music extravaganza in Bangkok, Thailand, one of the ASEAN-member states.”
Following the main event in New Delhi, the festival will continue its journey to Bangkok, Thailand, further enhancing the cultural connections between India and ASEAN. Details about the bands performing from Southeast Asia will be announced in the coming weeks. Along with senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Heads of Missions from all 10 ASEAN Member States, the Indian government's Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar will also grace the event as the chief guest. After its well-received inaugural edition in 2017 and successful follow-up in 2022, AIMF has continued its mission of promoting a sustained cultural exchange and interaction between ASEAN and India while championing its unique adoption of traditional and modern music influences. Some of the previous headliners in the past from Southeast Asian nations include Linying of Singapore, The Ransom Collective of the Philippines, and Makaohang from Thailand.
For more information about the ASEAN India Music Festival, visit the event organizer's official website at seher.in.
