“Smile, laughter, and meditation are privileges of human life.” – Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji, founder of the Art of Living, host of the World Culture Festival.
This year’s World Culture Festival was held at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. from Friday, Sept. 29 to Sunday, Oct. 1. This year, two of our very own Becton Wildcats, Akash and Akansha Sathish, participated in this tremendous event!
The World Culture Festival is the celebration of cultures all around the globe, where over 180 countries can represent themselves through traditional music, dance, cultural performances, art, food and more! This festival stands to show the globe that we are all one big, one-world family. “Individual peace leads to world peace,” Akash S. quotes Shankarji.
As expressed by Akansha S., “I loved the concept of celebrating unity in diversity as a one world family.” She continues, “In today’s world, we hear so much about war, fighting, and violence. Sometimes, we forget that in the end, we are a one world family.”
These siblings, along with their parents, attended the festival representing India. They performed “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,” an Indian song that translates to “one world family,” composed by Indian classical singer Vidushi Sujata Ghanekarj. They also involved themselves in the promotion of the festival, volunteering at various locations such as NJPAC and other venues.
Akash S. mentions his ten years of involvement in the Art of Living Foundation. Very passionate about the message of world peace and unity, himself and his family were very excited to contribute to his event and hope to return again in following years, noting this as an unforgettable experience!
Superintendent Dr. Dario Sforza and other Becton Regional staff are presently helping Akash and Akansha Sathish create a documentary on their experiences at the World Culture Festival. By doing this, they hope to show everyone at Becton the significance of this festival and spread its message to the world.
In the future, they hope to see more members of the Becton family participate in this wonderful occasion, hopefully representing their own cultures and traditions!
