Performing Arts as a Pathway to Promote the Idea of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31305/rrijm.2026.v11.n08.018Keywords:
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, performing arts, cultural diplomacy, intercultural collaboration, empathy, community theatre, global solidarityAbstract
The concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — “the world is one family” — from classical Indian philosophy offers a profound vision for global solidarity, empathy, and intercultural understanding. This paper explores how the performing arts — including theatre, music, dance, and interdisciplinary performance — serve as powerful instruments for operationalizing this ideal. By engaging participants and audiences in embodied encounters, performance creates shared temporal and spatial experiences that transcend cultural, linguistic, and national boundaries. Through narrative pluralization, marginalized voices are amplified, fostering inclusivity and expanding collective notions of belonging. Music and dance elicit affective empathy, enabling emotional identification across diverse communities. Collaborative creation in intercultural ensembles models coexistence, mutual respect, and dialogue, while festivals, artist exchanges, and cultural diplomacy initiatives extend these values to international audiences. Case studies, including the West–Eastern Divan Orchestra, Silkroad Ensemble, and participatory theatre programs, illustrate how performance can transform abstract philosophical ideals into lived experiences of global kinship. The paper also addresses challenges such as power asymmetries, cultural appropriation, and accessibility, emphasizing ethical frameworks and inclusive practices. Ultimately, performing arts provide a concrete, creative, and affective medium for realizing the vision of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, making the principle of a shared human family experientially tangible.
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