15.02.2026

“The Roerichs' Realm” Festival at the IRMT (India): Results and Plans

India is one of the regular participants in the International Festival of Children's and Youth Creativity "The Roerichs' Realm", organized by the International Center of the Roerichs (ICR, Moscow) in cooperation with the International Roerich Memorial Trust (IRMT, Naggar, India), with the active support of ICR volunteers and the general public. At the heart of this Russian-Indian cooperation is the Himalayan Kullu Valley, or more precisely, the teachers and students of its schools, as well as the teachers and students of the Helena Roerich  Academy of Art (for Children) of the Roerich Trust, who have been participating in the cultural life of the IRMT and in children's painting competitions organized at the Memorial Estate for many years.

In 2017, on the initiative of a group of volunteers from the ICR led by T.M.Merges and V.N.Tkachev, these traditional competitions were transformed into the “Russia-India: Heart to Heart” Children's and Youth Festival. In 2024, in honor of the 150th anniversary of Nicholas Roerich, this Festival became a regional stage of the large International Festival “The Roerichs’ Realm.” It is important to note that the children's and youth festivals at the Roerich Estate are part of the traditional May and October Roerich festivals of culture.

In 2025, the “Roerichs' Realm” Festival was dedicated to two major anniversaries: the 90th anniversary of the Roerich Pact and the Banner of Peace, and the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory over Nazi Germany. It was here, in Kullu, in the Valley of the Gods, that the Roerichs worked on the draft Treaty on the Protection of Cultural Property, known worldwide as the Roerich Pact. Here, during the difficult war years, they brought Victory closer with all their creativity. The Banner of Peace was raised in Kullu, and it still flies today next to the Roerichs' memorial house.

This was announced by the Russian and Indian Curators of the Roerich Trust to participants of the First regional stage of the “Roerichs’ Realm” competition, which took place on May 1 at the Green Theater of the IRMT. More than 80 young artists took part in it – students from 11 schools of the Kullu Valley and students of the Helena Roerich Academy of Arts. The theme proposed for the competition was “The Roerichs in the Valley of the Gods (Kullu).” The award ceremony for the 13 winners and 22 prize-winners took place on the festive day of May 3 on the stage of the Green Theater of the IRMT. Mrs. Irina Arkhipova, Ambassador of Culture from the Union of Women of Russia, and Russian artist Lola Lonli presented all the winners with certificates and commemorative gifts.

Another highlight of the May Festival at the IRMT took place at the Helena Roerich Academy of Arts (for Children): ICR volunteers (members of the Festival organizing committee) prepared a video presentation for the Academy's students and teachers, in which they talked about exhibitions of children's paintings in Russia: at the St. Petersburg State Art and Industry Academy named after A.L. Stieglitz, at Rabindranath Tagore School No. 653 (St. Petersburg), and at the Nicholas Roerich Children's Art School in Volosovo (Leningrad Region). The Indian children were delighted and interested to see their works in photographs of the exhibitions and to hear how their drawings, together with those of Russian children, are traveling around Russian cities.

The Second regional stage of the Roerichs' Realm Festival took place at the IRMT in October last year as part of the Roerichs' Festival “Under the Banner of Culture.” It was held on October 18 at the Green Theater of the IRMT, and about 90 children from schools of the Kullu Valley and the IRMT Children's Academy took part in it. “Let us dream of the Future: Roerich Pact and Banner of Peace on guard for the Kullu Valley Culture” was the theme of the children's painting competition. The jury had a difficult choice to make: the young residents of Kullu painted the future of their beloved Valley of the Gods with enthusiasm and love. Snow-capped mountains towered above it against the backdrop of a bright blue sky; ancient temples stood among green valleys; elegant dancers whirled in the traditional “nati” round dance - and above all this beauty shone the symbol of the Banner of Peace - three red circles in a circle on a white background - a symbol that united the highest concepts of Beauty, Knowledge and Spirituality and was called upon to protect the heritage of the Past for a bright Future. All the children's works, all their dreams about the future, were imbued with Light; they carried a sense of joy, hope, unity, and peace. And in many drawings, the image of Nicholas Roerich appeared among the Himalayas, weightless and spiritual. The children also drew the outlines of Russian churches and depicted the flags of India and Russia above the Kullu Valley, dreaming of friendship between our great countries...

“Russia-India: From Heart to Heart”— these words perfectly describe the friendly and warm atmosphere of all the children's creativity festivals held at the Roerich Estate. But especially for the October celebrations, volunteers from the International Center of the Roerichs are preparing exciting programs of Russian games and master classes for children, in which the students of the Academy of Arts and all the young guests of the Roerich Estate enthusiastically participate. They pull ropes, participate in various relay races, learn to make souvenirs from improvised materials, weave macramé, and paint the symbol of the Banner of Peace on wooden blanks. In competitions and games, in creative activities, language and national boundaries are erased, hearts are brought closer together, and all participants, both older and younger, are charged with the energy of joy and creativity.

On October 23, on Svetoslav Roerich's birthday, an award ceremony was held for the winners and prize-winners of the regional competition dedicated to the Future of the Kullu Valley under the Banner of Peace. Certificates and gifts were presented to the children by the Chief guests of the festive day: well-known cultural and public figures from Ivanovo (Russia) V.S. and L.B. Okolotins and Prabinder Lal, an artist and art activist from Chandigarh (India). At the end of the ceremony, the winners of the Main Stage of the “Roerichs’ Realm” Festival were announced. They were the authors of the ten best works selected by the Festival jury from all the drawings that won the May and October regional stages, photographs of which were sent to Moscow. The distinguished participants were solemnly presented with diplomas and commemorative prizes from the Festival.

A special event of the October Festival “The Roerichs' Realm” at the IRMT was the exhibition “Under the Banner of Peace,” prepared by ICR volunteers who are members of the Festival’s organizing committee. The exhibition opened on the festive day of October 9 in the Conference Hall of the Roerich Trust. The bright and colorful exhibition featured 170 creative works by children who were winners and prize-winners of previous competitions in the categories of “Fine Arts” and “Decorative and Applied Arts” from Russia, India, Kazakhstan, and Belarus. 

Excerpts from the works of Russian and Indian winners of the Festival in the “Literary Creativity” category added particular depth and expressiveness to the exhibition. Twenty students from five schools from the Kulu Valley and from the Helena Roerich Academy of Arts took part in the literary competition. It is amazing how sensitively children perceive the essence of Roerich's creative activity! “The spiritual dimension of Roerich's world challenges the materialism and consumerism of modern life,” writes Yahana Thakur from the village of Katrain. “In a world rushing somewhere at breakneck speed and distracted by every trifle, Roerich calls us to peace, contemplation, and beauty. He reminds us that humanity is not just a collection of economies and technologies, but a living mosaic of souls, traditions, and aspirations.” 

And more: "Roerich's dream was simple but powerful - a world in which peoples are united through art, where monuments are protected as treasures, and peace on earth is the result of mutual respect and deep knowledge. This humanized realm is not just a dream, but a call to all of us to live in harmony with nature, respect our heritage, and allow culture to guide our future," from an essay by Sagarika (DAV, Katrain).

The award ceremony for the winners of the Roerichs' Realm festival in the literary category took place on October 9, on the birthday of Nicholas Roerich. Certificates and prizes were presented to the young writers of the Kullu Valley by the festival's guests of honor, Galina Schneider, chairman of the German Roerich Society and member of the International Council of Roerich Organizations named after S.N.Roerich, and Rainer Schneider, deputy chairman of the German Roerich Society.

...In the new year 2026, the International Festival of Children's and Youth Creativity “The Roerichs' Realm,” organized by the ICR (Moscow), continues its work. “The Roerich Family: A Bridge of Culture and Friendship between Nations” is the theme of the Third stage of the Festival, dedicated to Nicholas Roerich’s Central Asian expedition.  It was on the route of this “Great Journey” that Nicholas Roerich’s idea of the need for close cooperation between Russia and India, and with the countries of the East, took shape and grew stronger. The first regional stage of the Festival will take place at the IRMT at the end of April. Everyone is welcome to participate!

Let us conclude this brief overview with the words of Nicholas Roerich, addressed to all adults, teachers, and parents: “Hatred, destruction, humiliation, and violence cut like a whip into a child's soul, and nothing can heal these wounds.” “Open the way to creativity and great art in all schools. Replace vulgarity and despondency with joy and insight. Protect children from the grimaces of life.” “Give children a happy, courageous life, full of activity and bright achievements,” Roerich urged. So let the “Roerichs’ Realm” Festival in Russia, India, and all countries of the world ignite the hearts of our children with a desire for creation, for the joy of improvement and creativity!