The 12th annual Belfast Mela, together with SPAR attracted tens of thousands of visitors from Belfast and beyond to Botanic Gardens today as Northern Ireland’s biggest celebration of cultural diversity got underway despite the rain.
Organised by ArtsEkta, the Belfast Mela celebrates Northern Ireland’s increasing cultural diversity with music, dance, food and much more from around the world. Nisha Tandon, OBE, Founder and Executive Director of Arts Ekta said:
“This year we put on our most ambitious line-up of acts from around the world and we are so proud that Mela has grown to become one of the city’s signature cultural events promoting Belfast as an open, inclusive and welcoming place to live and do business. Many communities have made Belfast their home and it has never been more important that we embrace the individuality and cultural heritage of each citizen and find strength in our diversity.
“Working with hundreds of artists, locally and internationally we presented a bold, vibrant and colourful cultural celebration once again this year, to create a wonderful world of music, dance, food and arts for all the family to enjoy together. The highlight this year was our wonderful finale Reunite which involved more than 100 local performers in a contemporary outdoor theatre spectacle inspired by Bollywood.”
The Belfast Mela is supported by the following organisations:
Funders: The Executive Office; Department for Communities; Belfast City Council; Tourism NI; Arts Council for NI; Community Relations Council; Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.
Title Sponsor: Spar.
Media Partners: UTV, U105 and NI4Kids,
Hospitality Partners: Bullitt and S.D Bell’s.
Event Partners: An Droicead; Ulster Scots Agency; Ulster Museum; Housing Executive; Equality Commission for Northern Ireland; Public Heath Agency; Belfast Festivals Forum; Integrated Education Fund; Voluntary Arts Ireland and Sensata Technologies.
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