Explore Goa's Heritage with 32 Walks and Workshops at the 'Heritage First Festival'
This event is organized by Heritage First Goa (HFG), a non-profit initiative established by heritage advocates Heta Pandit, Snigdha Manchanda, and Jack Ajit Sukhija. The festival's objective is to educate and empower communities to value Goa's distinctive heritage through a variety of engaging experiences.
The festival will showcase 27 expert curators, referred to as “pilots”, who draw inspiration from Goa's famous motorcycle pilots that navigate both locals and visitors through the region's significant sites. Throughout the festival, these pilots will conduct a total of 32 heritage walks and workshops, categorized into four themes: built heritage, nature and biodiversity, arts and crafts, and interactive workshops.
The ‘Heritage First Festival’ presents a unique opportunity to explore well-known locations from a fresh perspective of education and appreciation, stated Heta Pandit, a heritage researcher and co-founder of HFG. The festival will encompass various sites throughout Goa, ranging from Morjim in the north to Rachol in the south, and will emphasize themes such as traditional crafts, local biodiversity, seasonal produce, as well as Goa's rich architecture and artistic heritage.
Emphasizing the festival's significance for local culture, HFG co-founder Jack Ajit Sukhija, who also serves as the president of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa, remarked, ‘This festival will honor the skilled individuals who have dedicated their lives to the preservation and promotion of Goa's heritage’. For those interested in attending, limited slots are available, and reservations can be made via the official website of ‘Heritage First Goa’.