Thousands celebrate return of Mela in week long celebration

The 15th Belfast Mela took place over the last week as thousands of visitors enjoyed more than 40 events across the city in a shared celebration of our cultures and communities.

Thousands turned out throughout the week to world music, dance, food, theatre, art and wellbeing events both in venues and outdoor spaces across the city including a wonderful Mini Mela hosted by U105’s Carolyn Stewart and UTV’s Paul Reilly in Writer’s Square and a spectacular lighting event staged at CS Lewis Square in East Belfast.

Nisha Tandon OBE, Founder of Belfast Mela and Director of ArtsEkta which runs the Belfast Mela said: “We have had an amazing week celebrating cultural diversity as thousands of people turned out at activities across Belfast to celebrate the vibrant, intercultural and ambitious city Belfast is growing to become.

I would like to pay tribute to all the artists who were involved in bringing this year’s bold vibrant, and colourful Mela to life in such a safe and responsible way. We look forward to a spectacular return of Mela at Botanic Gardens in 2022, but given the success of this year’s additional events we plan to make Belfast Mela a week-long festival now going forward.”