As part of India's BRICS Presidency 2026, the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, organised the BRICS Cultural Festival 2026 at Ravindra Bhavan, Bhopal, on Thursday. Held on the second day of the Third Meeting of the BRICS Working Group on Culture, the festival featured vibrant performances by artists from BRICS member and participating countries, showcasing their rich cultural heritage while strengthening the spirit vof cultural exchange and mutual cooperation.
The festival was inspired by the ethos of ‘Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah’, reflecting India's civilisational philosophy of universal peace, harmony and collective well-being. The event was aligned with the theme of India's BRICS Presidency 2026 — ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Continuity’ and served as an important platform for promoting cultural exchange and strengthening people-to-people ties among participating nations. The programme commenced with a colourful cultural parade featuring delegations from Belarus, Brazil, Indonesia, the Russian Federation, the United Arab Emirates and the host nation, India, symbolising global unity and cultural harmony.
Artists from the Gennady Tsitovich National Academic Folk Choir of the Republic of Belarus enthralled the audience with traditional Belarusian folk songs and lively folk dances. Representing Brazil, performers showcased Capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian cultural tradition that uniquely blends martial arts, dance, music and acrobatics. Indonesia presented the traditional Balinese welcome dance ‘Pushpanjali’, followed by the renowned Javanese dance-drama ‘The Legend of Roro Jonggrang’, inspired by the historic Prambanan Temple.
Soloists from the National Academic Folk Instruments Orchestra of Russia performed on traditional Russian instruments, including the balalaika, bayan, alto domra and contrabass balalaika, offering a captivating musical experience. Renowned Emirati musician Saif Al Ali represented the United Arab Emirates with a performance that blended traditional Emirati and Arab musical heritage with contemporary influences.
Representing India, the cultural presentation ‘Maru Rang – Heritage of Rajasthan’ highlighted the rich folk traditions of Rajasthan through vibrant performances of Ghoomar, Chari, Kalbelia and Bhavai dance forms.
The festival concluded with a grand finale, bringing together artists from all participating countries on a single stage to celebrate cultural unity, mutual respect and global harmony. The occasion also reaffirmed the commitment of the BRICS countries to strengthening international cooperation through art and culture while fostering deeper people-to-people ties among nations.
