Online Desk:  Celebrating International Women’s Day 2024, Dhaka Flow, Bangladesh’s first-ever yoga and wellness festival and a pioneer in promoting a holistic approach to wellness in the city, organised its much-anticipated “Inspire Her Wellness” festival at the capital’s Baridhara Society Lakeside Park, which kicked off on Friday.

The two-day event, which highlighted this year’s theme, “Inspire Inclusion,” welcomed attendees on the first day with open arms inside the greeneries of the park’s peaceful setting under the mesmerizing Spring sky, resonating with Dhaka Flow’s core mission of championing wellness for all.

Beginning with ‘Graceful Awakening’ Morning Yoga by Dhaka Flow co-founder and esteemed yogini Shazia Omar at 10 am, the “Inspire Her Wellness” festival continued through engaging and enthralling sessions on its inaugural day.

At the ‘Zen Square’ main stage, the opening day’s morning activities continued till the prayer break with ‘Grounded Sound Meditation with Kerry,’ ‘Free Form Fitness with Nazfit,’ ‘Bootcamp with Nibras,’ and ‘Sufi Whirling with Suman.’ After the Jumma prayers, the Zen Square main stage activities continued with ‘Feel Her Rhythm – Odissi Dance with Erin,’ the ‘Gratitude Tree Plantation Ceremony’ by Baridhara Society and Shakti Foundation, a special talk ‘Money Matters’ powered by Tara and Brac Bank, and an enthralling ‘Sing-a-long’ with the amazing Ghaashphoring Choir.

The ‘Creative Playground’ kids zone offered a handful of mesmerizing segments, starting with ‘Art Healing’ by renowned cartoonist Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy, which was followed by Gallery Cosmos’s unique, interactive segment titled ‘Art Therapy through Printmaking’ featuring eminent art maestro Professor Rokeya Sultana.

A huge number of art-enthusiastic children, along with their parents and dear ones, made beautiful artworks one after another under the cordial guidance of the eminent artist till the prayer break, while young artist Surovi Akter made live caricatures of the curious attendees throughout the day, putting smiles on their faces. In addition, the Gallery Cosmos Pavilion at the festival features 20 promising young visual artists and printmakers, showcasing a total of 35 artworks as part of its ongoing commitment to promote the country’s emerging talent by highlighting the work of these talented female artists.

“Gallery Cosmos is delighted to join the Dhaka Flow’s “Inspire Her Wellness” festival and our main highlight for these two days is ‘Art Therapy through Printmaking’ led by eminent artist Professor Rokeya Sultana. Honouring this year’s International Women’s Day, we have curated our pavilion featuring the artworks of 20 female artists and a live caricature artist. We are delighted to be at this festival; and it’s wonderful to see that men and children are also here to support women on International Women’s Day,” said Nahar Khan, a writer, curator, and patron of the arts who is currently serving as the Executive Director at the Gallery Cosmos and the Cosmos Foundation, Director at United News of Bangladesh (UNB) and Vice President of the Cosmos Group.

After the prayer break, ‘Folk Art by Protibha’ with artist Md Ruhul Amin engaged the attendees at the Creative Playground, and the ‘Zumba Kids’ session with Zin Aayan captivated the young attendees with melodious grooves and moves. These were followed by an ‘Anti-bullying Self Defense’ session with the Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu trainer Ed Alcanzare and ‘Drawing the Portrait using Shapes’ with Alia Kamal.

The ‘Conversation Corner’ book and support group hosted two separate sessions under the banner of ‘Lighthouse Therapy’ – ‘Support Group Session: Substance Abuse’ in the morning and ‘Support Group Session: Parent Support’ in the afternoon. Meanwhile, the ‘Meditation Garden’ hosted ‘Vision Seekers presents: Inner Healing Through Journaling’ followed by ‘Sound Meditation’ with Radiant Sound, and ‘Managing Stress’ with Tas in the afternoon of the opening day.

One of the prime attractions of this year’s festival is the 70 women-owned Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) stalls and pavilions, representing diverse industries across Bangladesh. This collective of pioneering women entrepreneurs is offering a captivating array of products and services, showcasing their innovation, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit.

The festival attendees were treated to a dynamic marketplace featuring an eclectic mix of offerings, ranging from artisanal crafts and fashion pieces to innovative tech solutions and culinary delights. Each booth represents a unique story of female empowerment and economic independence, underscoring the invaluable contributions of women to Bangladesh’s vibrant business landscape.

The ‘Farmer’s Market’ showcasing fresh produce and organic goods from local women farmers in collaboration with FAO and ZXY International FZCO has been another major attraction this year, as the festival emphasizes an eco-conscious approach, avoiding plastic waste, offering vegetarian food options, and providing free activities for all attendees. Generous sponsorship from leading private sector companies underscores the festival’s commitment to promoting healthy lifestyles within the community.

The festival is being supported by Brac Bank Tara, Suzuki Motorbikes, BTI, Turaag Active, and Ispahani Blenders Choice Premium Tea, while UNB is associated as the media partner.

With its extensive schedule of events and activities aimed at improving people’s lives and the environment, Dhaka Flow’s “Inspire Her Wellness” festival will continue from 9 am to 6 pm and come to an end on Saturday, at the Baridhara Society Lakeside Park.