Media Release
Mangaluru, Oct 30: The Roman Catholic Diocese of Mangalore is set to host its largest-ever children's convention, "NINAAD – Burgyalem Festh 2K26", on Sunday, November 8, 2026. Scheduled from 8:30 am to 4 pm at the St Joseph Engineering College (SJEC) campus in Vamanjoor, this historic gathering will bring together over 6,000 children of classes 5 to 10 from 125 parishes across the diocese.
A celebration of faith and fellowship
Organised as a key milestone of the 'Year of Children 2026' under the official motto, "Our Children, Fruits of God's Kingdom," NINAAD is conceived as a grand festival of children and a celebration of God's gift of childhood. The convention aims to inspire the young generation, instil deep faith values, and promote a culture of accompanying, sharing, and collaboration. It brings together children from different parishes in a spirit of fellowship, celebrating the love of Jesus and core Christian values. The president of the programme, Peter Paul Saldanha, bishop of Mangalore, will preside over the massive gathering and deliver a special pastoral message.
Mega procession featuring 125 saints
The event will commence at 8:30 am at the Vamanjoor church hall with registrations and breakfast. At 9:30 am, a spectacular mega procession will march towards the main SJEC venue. A major highlight of this parade will be the depiction of 125 patron saints, with children representing all 125 parishes marching in a traditional procession. They will be joined by majestic tableaux presenting the 'History of Salvation'—from Creation to Pentecost—showcased by the 12 deaneries, accompanied by brass bands and cultural displays.
Spiritual highlights and aerial drone formation
The spiritual centrepiece of the day will be a solemn thanksgiving Eucharistic celebration at 11:40 am featuring a 100-voice children's choir. In a highly anticipated afternoon event, the 6,000-plus participating children will assemble on the SJEC open turf to form a gigantic living shape of a Eucharistic host, chalice, and cross, which will be recorded via an aerial drone. The day-long itinerary also includes an interactive faith motivational session, the screening of a docufilm titled 'Faith in the Digital Age', a parish activity exhibition, and a high-energy gospel music and praise jam by a youth band.
Pre-event competitions and safety measures
To foster creative engagement ahead of the event, the diocese has launched an Instagram reel-making competition set to the official theme song, offering a cash prize pool of Rs 17,500. Event organisers have prioritised child safety, implementing required protocols, a 24/7 dedicated helpline (+918970353016), on-site medical stations, and standby ambulances. The convention will formally conclude at 4 pm and will be broadcast live globally on YouTube.
For more details, please visit:
Website: https://dioceseofmangalore.com/ninaad-burgyalem-festh-2k26
Android App: Ninaad 2K26: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aistudio.ninaad2k26.bvqprm&pcampaignid=web_share