ARE YOU READY FOR SOME SPICE?
Save the dates: 17 & 18 October 2026
What happens when people who have faced injustice, loss, exclusion, poverty, disability, violence, displacement, or environmental harm decide not to look away, but to act?….. They become kantharis!
Join us for SPREAD THE SPICE 2026, a vibrant public festival where the 2026 kanthari change makers share bold ideas, powerful personal stories, and practical plans for a fairer, greener, and more inclusive world.
The event is organised by us, the participants of kanthari’s international impact-leadership course, which equips people who have overcome adversity to launch social and environmental initiatives in their own communities.
DATES:
SAT 17-OCT-2026
SUN 18-OCT-2026
LOCATION
JAWAHAR BALA BHAVAN,
TRIVANDRUM,
KERALA, INDIA
A Global Story in Trivandrum
This year, Jawahar Bala Bhavan in Trivandrum will host voices from 11 countries, each carrying an idea born from personal struggle.
From the scars of war in Congo to the challenges of teenage pregnancy in Cameroon, from the fight against hunger in Uganda to the recovery of degraded soils in Malawi and Indonesia.
These changemakers arrive with hope and solutions. Together, they will also speak of education gaps in India and Nigeria, patriarchy in Zambia and Nigeria, youth disempowerment in Zimbabwe, gender violence, disability bullying, and the shared threat of climate change.
A Festival of Exchange
SPREAD THE SPICE is more than stories of struggle. It is a festival that celebrates resilience, culture, and beauty; of mountains, rivers, animals, festivals, and games from across the world.
For two days, Trivandrum becomes a space where grassroots NGOs exhibit their work, local artists perform, and conversations flow through panels, games, and cultural programs. It is a true social impact exchange, where Kerala meets the world and the world discovers Kerala.
SAT 17-10-2026 PROGRAM
15:00 – 17:30 : NGO exhibition starts | Stall activities
18:00 – 19:00 : Panel Discussion
19:10 – 19:20 : Cultural display by participants
19:30 – 20:30 : TBA
20:30 – 21:00 : Stall activities
21:10 – 22:00 : TBA
22:00: Stall final pitches & Closure for the day
SUN 18-10-2026 Program
15:00 – 15:50 : Stalls Activities
16:00 – 17:00 : Open mic
17:10 – 17:45 : Debates
17:55 – 18:30 : Stall Activities
18:30 – 19:00 : Youth on stage – open performances
19:10 – 19:30: TBA
19: 30 – 20:30 : Youth on stage
20:40 – 20:50 : Final dance floor
20:55 – 21:00 : Vote of thanks
21:00 – SPREAD THE SPICE – 2025 (Officially Ends)
GET INVOLVED: VOLUNTEER
Exhibition Project Themes
PEACE BUILDING
CLIMATE CHANGE
DISABILITY RIGHTS
ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION
GENDER EQUALITY
WHEN:
Saturday 17th, Sunday 18th OCTOBER 2026
TIME: 15:00 TO 21:00 HOUR
WHERE:
Manaveeyam Road, Trivandrum
Our world overflows with a stunning diversity; so much beauty, in fact, that some wonders are easy to miss. It’s often the tiniest things, the little spices, that give life its real flavor. Join us as we come together to celebrate the dazzling gift of diversity! Bring your family, invite your friends, and let’s fill the air with laughter, culture, and connections. Let’s SPREAD THE SPICE because life is richer when we share it together.
See you there!