The sixth edition of the `Holy Night’ carol fest, organised by the Chengannur Mukkathu Charitable Trust, at the Mukkathu Centenary Hall at Karuvelippady near Chengannur on Monday evening assumed a new dimension with the performance of a four-member international Afro-Asian team.
Nhan Tran Minh from Vietnam, Joseph Khame and Aloysius Sanunu from Uganda and Gao Wenjing from China were the international exchange scholars who took part in the carol fest.
Participating in the carol fest heralding Christmas, they said various international cultural exchange programmes and programmes like the `Holy Night’ carol festival would be of great help in fostering better realtions between nations across the globe.
According to Prof Babu Zachariah, organising committee office-bearer, as many as 300 participants belonging to 12 choral groups took part in the carol fest. The carol fest had its beginning way back in 2006 with the blessings of the senior Metropolitan, Philipose Mar Chrysostum, he said.
The winners in the carol fest were presented with cash prizes and ever-rolling trophies in memory of Mamman Joseph Kathanar, Bishop John Varghese and M.P.Job.
The choral group attached to CSI St Thomas Church at Punnackad near Kozhencherry, Trinity Marthoma Church in Chengannur and Laka St Thomas Marthoma Church at Edayaranmula bagged the first, second and third prizes respectively in the music contest.
P.C.Vishnunath, MLA; K.J.James, Superintendent of Police; Shobhana George, former MLA; Gopakumar, Mariamma Philip, Shirley Rajan, municipal councilors; Sibi Sleeba, managing director of SS Hyudai and Chandraashekhara Kurup, managing director of Sakthi Plywoods, spoke on the occasion.
