Tourism Minister Launches Website for Global Pookkalam Contest

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
With the Onam season round the corner, Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas today launched the website for Kerala Tourism’s Global Pookkalam contest Season -3.

‘Viswa Manavikathayude Loka Ona Pookkalam’, is the theme of the floral decoration competition, for which the participants can submit entries online from any part of the world up to September 16.

Riyas launched the website at a function held in his chamber by handing over the image of the home page to Kerala Tourism Secretary K Biju.

Individuals, organisations and communities across the world can participate in the floral decoration competition being held online as part of the Onam celebrations. The participants can upload photos of floral decoration on the website of Kerala Tourism https://www.keralatourism.org/contest/pookkalam2023 .

Three entries selected by the judging panel from different categories will be given attractive prizes and all contestants will get a participation certificate. The first edition of the Global Pookkalam contest was held in 2021.

The Minister said the aim of the Global Pookkalam contest is to bring together Malayalis across the world, on the occasion of the Onam festival. The previous editions of the virtual event had generated a huge response from Malayalis world over and turned out to be a friendly gathering.

“Onam is a festival that celebrates the values of equality and fraternity, which are close to our lives. The scope of new technology has opened before the world the possibilities to join together as one family. Through this online contest, Kerala Tourism intends to set a platform to bring together Malayalis world over”, Shri Riyas said.

Kerala Tourism Secretary K Biju said the Global Pookkalam contest will add more colour to the festivities, besides promoting the cherished values of humanity as symbolised by Onam.

Tourism Director P B Nooh noted that the online Pookkalam contest devised by the State Tourism Department during the COVID times has generated wide response from all over the world. Also, as it enters its third year it has become a much-awaited event.