Keralites in UK and Ireland will host online magic show on April 18 to raise funds for differently abled children

By A Staff Reporter

LONDON March 9: A special online event, titled “Vismaya Saanthwanam” will be hosted online on April 18 for Keralites in UK and Ireland to spread awareness in the society about the plight of differently abled children and their families and to raise funds to build a Universal Magic Centre, that would provide employment to the children at the Different Art Centre in Kerala.

“Vismaya Saanthwanam” is being supported in the UK and Ireland by the Union of UK Malayalee Associations (UUKMA).

The event will be held at 2pm UK time and 6.30 pm India time and will be broadcast Live online and link to this will be shared nearer to the event.

The project is the brainchild of Gopinath Muthukad, an Indian magician and motivational speaker from Kerala. He employs magic as a medium to convey his messages to public. He founded the World’s first magic academy at Thiruvananthapuram. In 1995, he became the first magician in the world to perform an escape act in the style of Harry Houdini’s act of 1904. In the same year, he was awarded the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy award. He is the winner of the International Merlin Award instituted by the International Magicians’ Society. He is the first Keralite to be honoured as the celebrity supporter by the UN agency UNICEF, for promoting child right activities in Kerala.

According to the Founder of Different Art Centre, Gopinath Muthukad, the vision is to develop a world class art centre, that provides training and opportunities for talented mentally challenged children in our society to showcase their learned skills before wide audience.

Different Art Centre will strive to enrich the physical and mental development through various art forms with the touch of magic, thereby a supportive environment that will empower differently abled children to stand on their own legs and lead a meaningful life.

The Universal Magic Centre is envisaged to enhance the employability of differently abled youth through tailored skill and capacity development trainings. In addition, they would be imparted training to enhance and polish their profession etiquette and communication skills.

The centre is expected to function as a training centre during the day and as an entertainment centre in the evening, which will be entirely managed by these differently abled youth. Youth who successfully pass their training program will be given a chance to take up paid internships in managing the entertainment centre.

Universal Magic Centre (UMC) will be a complete entertainment arena of differently abled artistes, including entertainment (music, dance, magic, puppet shows and shadow play) by the differently abled people. The centre would also have restaurants where families can dine.

The youth will undertake the performance related activities, other functions and operations in the centre. All the tasks and day to day activities of the centre will be their responsibility through which they will emanate as stars in every sense throughout the year.

It is expected that 30 differently abled youth can be given this opportunity at one time at UMC. In short, the centre would be their ultimate world free from all external compulsions where they can experiment, create and devise their skills in the best possible manner.

To give them wider opportunities, a roster of trained and skilled differently abled children will be available for potential employers who wish to employ the differently abled persons.

The proposed Universal Magic Centre, is located in Kazhakkoottam, Thiruvananthapuram. In May 2021, the Academy of Magical Sciences completes 25 years of its successful journey. Therefore, the plan is for Universal Magic Centre– UMC to be inaugurated as a landmark for the silver anniversary in May this year.

If you wish to be part of the initiative to build a future for the children at Different Art Centre you can make your contribution by clicking HERE