AIDE MEMOIRE Valley of Words Goes Virtual

AIDE MEMOIRE Valley of Words Goes Virtual

VoW2020@Savoy

• Recreating Mussoorie’s Historic Savoy Hotel In India’s First-Of-Its-Kind Immersive Phygital Literary Experience
• Four virtual stages– The Plenary Session Lawns, Savoy State Room, Savoy Writers’ Bar, and Savoy Post Office – will digitally host over 200 authors, poets, publishers, and thought-leaders from around the world
• Blessings from the Dalai Lamaand a benediction of chants from the monks of Mindrolling Monastery, Dehradun
• Inaugural Address‘From Triumph to Triumph: Transcending the Pandemic’ by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and LIVE launch of the book ‘The Savoy’ written by Ruskin Bond and Ganesh Saili
• Keynote Addressby Union Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh, and launch of the book Life and Culture in Northeast India by Shiv Kunal Verma  and Dipti Bhalla Verma
• Plenary Address And Conversationon ‘Text and Context’ by  Governor of Kerala Arif Mohammad Khan
• Padma Bhushan Dr Anil Joshi with Padma Shris Leeladhar Jagudi, Ritu Menon and Malini Awasthiamongst many others in insightful conversation across VoW’s Four Verticals: English Literature, Hindi Sahitya, RS Tolia Forum of Ecology and Governance, and Military History and Strategy; collaborations with the French Embassy and JCB Prize for Literature 
• Announcement of the PFC-VoW Book Awards 2020 in all seven categories:English Fiction, Non-fiction, and Translations from Regional Languages; Hindi Fiction, Non-fiction, and Translations from Regional Languages; and Writings for Young Adults (Bilingual)
• Interactive VoW bazaarin the market streets of Landour, featuring Iti Kriti (sustainable Himalayan arts, crafts, and fashion), Iti Smriti (ethically-sourced and upcycled Valley of Words memorabilia), Iti Lekh (an exploration of a specially curated selection of books), Philately (‘Pandemics and Epidemics of the World’) and Photography (winners of the 2020 VoW Red Rabbit Photography Competition on the theme ‘COVID - Nature Healing Itself’)
• Four pan-Indian debates: bilingual VoW-KV&JNV Inter-School Debate; bilingual VoW-Mantrana Inter-College Debate; the unprecedented Sanskrit VoW-Maharshi Valmik Vishwavidyalaya Inter-University vaad-vivaad pratiyogita; Parliamentary Debate Vox Populi with MPs from across the political spectrum which this year is a tribute to the late DP Tripathi, a key mentor and supporter of VoW 
• Diverse variety of book launches and authors, ranging from distinguished officers Wajahat Habibullah, BS Baswan, Neeraj Kumar, Aloke Lal and  Shubha Sarmato AI specialist Rajiv Malhotra, General Konsam Himalay Singh and 6-year-old Ayan Gogoi Gohain 
• Cultural programmesfeaturing morning ragas in sitar from Suhel Saeed Khan, a concert by artistes of ITC SRA Kolkata, and a piano-poetry medley live from the Savoy; poetry, kavita, and mushaira evenings   
• Valedictory Address  and Awards Presentationby Union Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Launch of PFC-VoW Book Awards 2021 by Dr RS Dhillon, Chairman PFC
• Open access to the best of Indian Literature and Arts from the Valley of Words Festivalfor an International Audience – A Celebration Of The Word!

19^th November 2020, Mussoorie: The virtual is the new real, and Valley of Words is adapting this credo in our virtual format this year as we become VoW2020@Savoy - India’s First-Of-Its-Kind Immersive Phygital Literary Experience. Our resolve to create an entirely open-access, intergenerational, multi-lingual and multi-genre festival which brings the best of Indian literature and arts to an international audience has only strengthened this year. Our line-up therefore spans a diverse variety of conversation, debate and discovery, with something for everyone who joins. 

Regarding VoW’s shift to the digital medium, our festival’s Honorary Curator, Dr Sanjeev Chopra stated that, “As a young and nimble organization, not only has VoW taken the pandemic in its stride, but has emerged stronger, more focused and more inclusive than  before. VoW has been able to transcend the limitations of time and space by connecting with authors and audiences across the globe, and ensuring that all interactions are archived forever.”

Speaking on the occasion, Sabbas Joseph, Co-founder, and Director, Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd said, “We are very proud to partner with Valley of Words to bring across India’s first-of-its-kind immersive Literature & Arts Festival experience. Wizcraft has always endeavoured to pave the way, scaling new heights especially when it comes to technology, creativity and experiences. Our vision is "From Mussorie to the World" and as digital experience partner of the Valley Of Words we bring to you A Celebration Of The Word, a perfect amalgamation of an enhanced experience with an open access, intergenerational, multi-lingual and multi-genre festival – the Best Of Indian Literature And Arts from the Valley of Words Festival for a global audience who can enjoy it in the comfort of their homes.”

Wizcraft AO are The Technology Partners for Valley Of Words 2020.

About VALLEY OF WORDS: https://valleyofwords.org/ 

Valley of Words believes that literature and art have the potential of engaging people across all age groups, especially students and the youth, to look beyond the immediate, to place “facts” in perspective, to question the “why”, to engage in lateral thinking and explore options that have the potential to make the world a better place. Valley of Words encourages intergenerational dialogues to enable one and all to understand multiple views, to scale new heights, explore new passions, and most importantly - discover the art of listening, engaging in critical discourse and appreciating excellence in others!

About WIZCRAFT INTERNATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT https://www.wizcraftworld.com/virtual.html 

Wizcraft International Entertainment, India’s leading media and live entertainment company is dedicated to showcasing its expertise on the world stage.  Having conceptualized some of the grandest events globally including the 50 Years of Indian Independence, the 30 Years of Mauritian Independence, the 10 years of the South African Freedom Struggle, the Commonwealth Games Opening and Closing ceremonies in Delhi as well as the Handover ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, & the prestigious International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards & Weekend for 19 years across the world, Wizcraft has contributed towards brand building for India in global destinations.  It has pioneered and developed India’s biggest entertainment brand IIFA which has taken Indian Cinema and culture to the world. The growth story of the company reflects the evolution of the Indian event management & entertainment industry itself. Driven by its vision “Believe in the power of dreams” the company is committed to quality and innovation, while setting its sights on greater peaks of achievement.

For Further queries, please contact:

Wizspk Communications| PR https://wizspk.com/ 

Archana Pradhan | 9987099265 | archana.pradhan@wizspk.com

Dr. Sanjeev Chopra, Honorary Curator, Valley of Words International Arts and Literature Festival

Dr. Sanjeev Chopra is currently serving as Director of the LBSNAA in Mussoorie. He was posted as the Additional Chief Secretary and Agriculture Production Commissioner of West Bengal and has spent eleven years in Uttarakhand – six at LBS National Academy and five as Secretary Industrial Development, IT, Rural Development and Horticulture in Uttarakhand. A recipient of the Hubert H Humphrey and the Robert S McNamara Fellowships, he has several books to his credit.

Sabbas Joseph, Co-founder, and Director, Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd

 Sabbas Joseph is the General Secretary of India’s Media and Entertainment Skills Council. He is a member of the core team of the FICCI Media and Entertainment Committee that set up and continues to lead the FICCI FRAMES Convention, which is APAC’s largest convention for the M&E industry.  Recently, Sabbas joined the Global Advisory Board of the International Mice and Wedding Fraternity. Wiz Sabbas Joseph brings strategic inputs and global expertise, stemming from his wealth of experience gained from representing the experiential industry’s interests on global platforms.

LS Bajpai, DG All India Radio, Celebrated Hindi poet and author