New Delhi, October 22: The National Tribal Dance Festival will commence in Chhattisgarh's capital city Raipur from November 1 and over 1,500 local and international artists will take part in it. Organised by the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board, the three-day event will be held at the Science College Ground. Addressing a tourism conclave here on Friday, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that the festival is an effort towards preserving the rich cultural heritage of tribals.

"Tribal culture is deeply rooted in Chhattisgarh. This festival aims to bring the tribals of the world on one platform so that they can connect with each other and cherish their cultures, their strength and move forward. We are moving towards creating Chhattisgarh as the world forum for tribals," he said.

The festival will see the participation of dance groups from Mozambique, Mongolia, Tongo, Russia, Indonesia, Maldives, Serbia, New Zealand and Egypt. "The National Tribal Dance Festival has been a pivotal initiative to boost state tourism and generate employment opportunities for the local people.

Video of Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel Inaugurate National Tribal Dance Festival:

"The Chhattisgarh Tourism Board recognises the growing demand for special community based experiences. We invite people to come and join us in the celebration of the National Tribal Dance Festival and also explore the tribal areas of the state to experience tribal culture and traditions," Chhattisgarh Tourism Minister Tamradhwaj Sahu said at the conclave.

The tourism conclave, held at Kiran Nadar Museum for Arts here, saw a number of experts, scholars, and practitioners from the fields of arts, media, textiles, tourism, hospitality and administration take part in panel discussions. The day-long conclave ended with a scintillating performance by folk singer and Padma Vibhushan awardee Teejan Bai.