The Wayanad Chamber of Commerce, in association with several trade, communication and tourism companies and organisations in the country, is organising “Sahyadri 2022”, an international trade fair in Wayanad from March 5 to 13, 2022. Sahyadri 2022 will comprise three international festivals simultaneously, the Western Ghats International Green Film Festival, Western Ghats International Conclave and Western Ghats International Expo, which will be held at Kalpetta and Vythiri in the district.
Secretary of the Chamber and CEO of the fair, Milton Francis, told reporters here on Saturday that it was for the first time in Kerala that three international events were being held at the same place. He said Union Ministers Bhoopeendar Yadav, G.Kishan Reddy, Pashupathi Kumar Paras, V.Muraleedharan, L.Murugan, Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi, and CEO of Neethi Ayog Amithabh Kanth would take part in the event and that State Ministers P.A. Mohammed Riyas and A.K.Saseendran had extended support.
“International companies will take part in the conclave and expo. Two B2B meets, to facilitate the sale of products readily available in Western Ghats, will be held and several contracts will be signed on the occasion. The fair will be instrumental in rejuvenating the tourism sector along Western Ghats, including Wayanad, Kodagu and Ootty”, Mr. Francis said.
Governors and Ministers from States along the Western Ghats such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, and Tamil Nadu will be invited. The fair may lead to the formation of a Western Ghats Development Council, on the lines of the Himalayan Council and the North East Council, president of the chamber, Johny Pattani, said.
The one-week-long International Film Festival will focus on “Green Cinema’ in three categories, movies on environment, short films and feature films, on 10 themes. Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting L.Murugan will open the film festival which will have films from 20 countries and around 50 films from various States in India. The venues for screening will be spread across Wayanad, including the tribal hamlets.
The international expo that would feature the economy and resources in Western Ghats will have corporate participation from Taiwan, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, France, Germany, and Israel. There will be cultural performances every day.
The fair will be an annual event and will be held in February every year with the theme “Celebrating the Coffee” to coincide with the coffee season in Wayanad. It will be connected to major tourism events in Malabar. The possibilities of tea tourism were also being explored, the organisers said.
Chamber vice president E.P. Mohandas; treasurer Veerendra Kumar; and president of the Malabar Development Council, C.E. Chakkunni, were present at the press meet.
