We are not just a festival, we are a feeling – say the Initiators of the Be Good Tribe.
‘The Be Good Festival’ attempts to give a new meaning to social change throughout the world with a critical mass of followers who relate to the minimalism of the philosophy itself.
Its first edition saw the coming together of over 6000 like-minded people who bonded over the philosophy of good deeds and its power to change the world.
In an interview with EE, Poonam Lal and Nitin Khobe, Initiators, Be Good Tribe spoke about the inspiration behind this unique festival and how they plan to transform it into a mass movement.
Excerpts:
What was the inspiration behind starting the ‘Be Good’ festival?
Be Good is an attempt to bring together like-minded people who believe in the significance and purpose of good deeds. Beyond all differences and classifications, as a way of life and further harness the collective energy to create a powerful force that can bring positive change in the world.
The inspiration came from the everyday experiences and close friends and family. We have been blessed with love and support but not everyone is as fortunate. Our philosophy is to spread love and goodness by thinking beyond our own selves.
The event displayed great content and yet, you did not charge an entry fee. Why?
As this was our first edition, we wanted to start with our own act of goodness. We wanted Delhi to feel the cause and were expecting a large footfall to come forward and support this act which is why we decided on no deterrents and no tickets. Keeping it simple, open space and under the sky almost like a picnic outing where people came together for a common belief and bonded over music and conversation.
Was it difficult to meet the expected footfall at this event?
We got an amazing footfall! There are so many events that happen in the city on an everyday basis. This was on a larger scale, in an open area with a bigger stage. Being the first event and with its name, we were a little unsure of the audience. We aimed for 3000 plus but by the time of the event, our online registrations crossed 4700 and as the gates open, it went on to about 6000 people present.
What are some of the insights that you have observed after executing this event?
Goodness does not need selling. Without almost any mainline advertising, we were able to gather a huge crowd who believed in the cause, and what a fabulously behaved crowd, considering it was free entry to all and in a place like Delhi. As a trend, we saw tremendous support for Indie music that brought together people from far away without the presence of a commercial headliner. Music is considered as the universal language of love and in our case too it has proven to be such a strong binder for this cause.
Festivals in India are mushrooming at a rapid pace. How is 'Be Good' planning to carve a niche for itself?
We are not just a festival; we are a feeling. We plan to do a meaningful festival that creates “Good Vibes” with specially curated content that will leave the audience with not just a wonderful experience but with a lingering feeling of contentment.
What is your long term plan for scaling up this event? Will this initiative spread across multi cities in the near future?
Of course! We wish to not only take the festival to various cities across India but also across the world. With social media breaking the barriers of geography, we believe that our cause is universal and very relatable for everyone across the world. In the long term, our community “ambassadors of good” would practise our philosophy globally and “be good” would be synonymous with positive social change everywhere
Do you think a festival like this has the potential to bring new experiences for people in the coming years?
Yes! Evolving from our core thought, the scope of doing good for a cause is endless. May it be for women safety, child education, or just empathetic behaviour, there is always opportunity. As always, though music is the unifying force, our social initiatives, powerful speakers and every ambassador of good, inspire and together create an experience that leaves everyone with a good after feeling.
In any endeavour, monetization is often the difficult part. How do you plan on doing that?
It is too soon to think of monetising. Most of the funds right now are used for social initiatives and have been sponsored by like-minded corporations. As for the future, we believe that our social initiatives will also be crowd funded. We want to create value first. And from our experience we know – money follows value like a dog on a leash!
Can you share some details about your future plan?
As the tribe grows, new chapters will be added year after year, tackling social issues with on-ground implementation. Bigger and bolder festivals will be organised throughout the country and eventually globally to celebrate the cause and the feedback from each will make our story stronger. A constant interaction with our believers online will also help us write our story and help them find theirs, to create this new faith, this new religion and this new belief that makes the world a better place.
Meanwhile, the larger vision is to create a global philosophy that resonates with the new world we live in. Be Good will be a brand recognised for social change throughout the world with a critical mass of followers who relate to the minimalism of the philosophy itself.
